BANGI: Malaysia has 623 registered psychiatrists, which is a long way to go to meet current needs, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad. He said the figure includes 385 specialists in government hospitals, 102 in public and private hospitals, 26 in private universities and eight in Armed Forces hospitals.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, he emphasized the role of family medicine specialists (FMS) at health clinics in providing mental health services. He stated that FMS can play an early role in assisting individuals facing psychiatric issues. The minister highlighted the importance of FMS in treating patients as they are clinicians trained to handle various medical conditions, including mental health.

Dr Dzulkefly stressed that the healthcare team should not solely rely on psychiatrists or counsellors. He mentioned that the role of FMS is crucial and their expertise in mental health should be utilized in health clinics. Currently, there are 774 FMS working across these clinics.

He addressed
the media after the opening of the Regional Counselling Convention (RISE) 2024, themed ‘Bridging Wellbeing and Work’, an event also attended by the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) chairman Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali. On December 16, 2021, the Health Ministry had set a goal to achieve a ratio of one psychiatrist for every 50,000 people nationwide by 2025, which would require a total of 720 psychiatrists.