Johor Faces Healthcare Worker Shortage Amid Population Boom

JOHOR BAHRU - Cardiologist Ng Kim Fong worked long hours as a specialist at Johor Bahru's main hospital, tending to around 100 patients a day for years.

- Harith Mustaffa

His daily shifts, for five days a week, consisted of morning rounds serving up to 40 patients in the wards of Hospital Sultanah Aminah, and then tending up to 30 outpatients at the hospital's clinic from noon. This would be followed by tending to another 30 or so patients in the wards before he could call it a day.

He switched to private practice in September 2024, after nearly two decades with the hospital.

"That was what we as government doctors had to do. It's part of our job. But in recent years, the patient numbers have been increasing," Dr Ng told The Sunday Times.

He is now a consultant cardiologist at KPJ Kluang Specialist Hospital in the Kluang district, some 100km from Johor Bahru, and his pay has more than tripled.

"There is definitely a severe shortage of healthcare workers in Johor - especially staff nurses, medical officers and specialists," he said, noting that public healthcare staff are overworked and overwhelmed.

The issue was spotlighted by Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi on July 14, when he said the state is facing a "critical and serious" shortage of healthcare officers in major government hospitals.

Doctors from the Johor Doctors Association told ST that more healthcare professionals are needed, as Malaysians from across the country move to the Johor capital city and its surrounding areas, which many use as a base for working in Singapore.

The migration to southern Johor districts is also due to the booming economy, leading to a wide availability of jobs for those not keen to work in Singapore.