Health Minister Dr Chua Soi Lek today revealed that the current doctor-patient ratio in Malaysia stood at one to 5,000.

According to Bernama , Chua told parliament that this ratio was based on posts for doctors at government hospitals and clinics, of which 10,195 out of 13,457 or 75 percent had been filled

To the question from Loh Seng Kok (BN-Kelana Jaya), the minister said government clinics and hospitals treated 1.7 million in-patients as well as 48 million outpatients a year.

He said a government medical officer attended to an average of 40 and 60 outpatient cases daily but this could rise to between 100 and 150 patients.

Improve services

To improve services at public outpatient treatments, Chua said the government had stationed 100 specialists and provided equipment like X-ray and ultrasound machines and other diagnostic aids and facilities.

He added that specialists also made regular visits to other government clinics to ensure their services were available to a wide section of the society.

The number of doctors moving over to private hospitals, where the pay is more lucrative, has severely affected public hospitals.

To curb this trend, the government has proposed that private medical wings be set-up in public hospitals.

Earlier today, Chua was sworn in as Member of Parliament (MP) at the Dewan Rakyat sitting. He took his oath before Deputy Speaker Lim Si Cheng.

Chua was overseas when the other MPs were sworn in last May 17. He took over from former MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik as the MP for Labis after winning the constituency in the March 21 general election.