Ministry of Health suggests medical graduates to be licensed

Ministry of Health (MOH) suggests overseas medical graduates to sit for an examination for licensing purposes before they are allowed to work in Malaysia.

Director of General Health Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah stated that MOH is considering Malaysian Medical Council's (MMC) proposal to increase the medicalstandards in this nation.

"The proposal (to license overseas medical graduates) has now become a common practice in many countries, for instance General Medical Council of the United Kingdom conducts Professional and Language Assessment Board."

"Meanwhile in America, they have US Medical Licensing Examination. Such examinations help to ensure that our medicalpractitioners achieve a higher standard," said Hisham when he commented on the statement given by the President of the Malaysian Medical Association Dr Ashok Philip.

President of the Association of Doctors for Social Welfare Datuk Abdul Hamid Abdul Kadir stressed that the government should limit foreign medical universities without minimal entry qualifications. Dr Ashok hoped that the government will extend the moratorium period for the health sector due to the increase of medical specialists in Malaysia.