Citing an internal memo, health news portal CodeBlue reported on Monday that the medicine department at University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) is facing a shortage of housemen.

As such, the department is reportedly considering a Zero HO (no housemen) protocol, where it operates under the assumption that it no longer has the services of housemen.

In a statement today, MMA president Dr Azizan Abdul Aziz said any possible shortage of housemen was worrying as more than 70% of the population rely on the public healthcare system.

“Any shortage of housemen at healthcare facilities is concerning as it will have an impact on the delivery of public healthcare services,” she said.

“It is perplexing to hear that there (is a shortage of) housemen, especially since between 3,000 and 5,000 medical graduates are being produced each year.

“How many of these medical graduates have entered the healthcare system in the last three years and how many have resigned? Are medical graduates being too selective over where they wish to serve?”

Azizan also asked for the response to the e-houseman officer (e-HO) system set up to allow those interested to apply to be in the health service.

She said she was concerned that the workload of medical officers at UMMC will significantly increase if there is a Zero HO protocol, which might potentially lead to further burnout and resignations among those “frustrated with the system”.

Noting that UMMC is a healthcare facility under the higher education ministry, she hoped that both the ministries would work together towards a more sustainable solution concerning the placements of housemen, housemanship training and the facility’s manpower issues.

She said these issues have once again highlighted the urgent need for detailed long-term planning of healthcare human resources and digitalisation of the public healthcare system for data driven, informed decisions.