MORE M`SIAN DOCTORS ABROAD WILLING TO RETURN

ALOR SETAR (Malaysia), Feb 17 (Bernama) -- The Health Ministry receives
encouraging response to the move to attract Malaysian doctors abroad, including
specialists, to return home following the government's move to ease the terms of
service.

Minister Liow Tiong Lai said, among others, the government had relaxed the
requirement to make it mandatory to serve in government hospitals, and allowing
their spouse to work in the same area.

"The ministry is confident that many Malaysian doctors abroad will return to
serve the country," Liow told reporters after visiting the Pokok Sena Health
Clinic, about 30km from this northern city, Tuesday.

For instance, he said, many Malaysian doctors in Singapore had expressed
interest to return home this year.

At the moment, only 53 per cent of the post for doctors in Malaysia had been
filled up, he added.

He said that this year the government would appoint 700 foreign doctors to
ease the shortage.

"Actually the shortage of doctors in not too obvious in the country. The
ratio at the moment is one doctor for a population of 1,145, not very far from
the ratio set by the World Health Organisation at 1:6000," he said.

Meanwhile, in his speech, Liow announced an allocation of RM400,000 to
upgrade the Pokok Sena Health Clinic's dental unit and staff quarters.
(US$1=RM3.64)
-- BERNAMA