Kuala lumpur: Malaysia continues to face a significant shortage of occupational therapists compared to several developed countries, due to a general lack of public awareness regarding the importance of the profession.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Health Ministry (MoH) Head of the Occupational Therapy and Rehabilitation Services, Nora Hamid, stated that with a population of over 34 million people, only about 2,700 occupational therapists are currently registered under the Allied Health Professions Act (AHP 774). More than half of that number are serving under the MoH, including in hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centres, and welfare institutions.
Nora highlighted that the current ratio stands at about one therapist for every 10,000 people, which is significantly lower than neighbouring countries such as Singapore, which has a ratio of 3:10,000, and Hong Kong, with 4:10,000. She expressed these concerns during the 2nd Malaysian Occupational Therapy Symposium by MoH.
The urgent need to increase the number of professionals in this field aligns with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Rehabilitation 2030 goal, which emphasizes strengthening rehabilitation systems and ensuring access to comprehensive treatment. An occupational therapist helps patients regain physical independence while considering cognitive, emotional, and social factors, enabling individuals to return to work, school, driving, socializing, and leading lives with dignity.
The second edition of the symposium, held from July 1 to 3, aims to spark innovative solutions, strengthen networking efforts, and ensure quality occupational therapy services are accessible to all. The initiative also supports inter-agency cooperation and the strengthening of professional networks, in line with the symposium’s goal of uniting various perspectives towards inclusive and evidence-based occupational therapy practices.
Nora emphasized that the Ministry of Health’s Occupational Therapy Services (OTKKM), in collaboration with the Perak Occupational Therapy team, continues to play a vital role as healthcare professionals advocating for the growth and recognition of occupational therapy in Malaysia.