ASEAN: Healthcare Manpower

According to a study by Deloitte, Healthcare 3.0, published recently, the ASEAN region faces a shortage of medical professionals to the magnitude of 1.6 million, which is among the highest in the world.

As a comparison between member nations, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand are the region's net exporters of healthcare services as is evident in the strong medical tourism growth. Currently, these countries are also net recipients of skilled healthcare manpower.

Medical professionals are highly mobile. Markets are also becoming more integrated and it is expected that countries will face stiffer competition for healthcare professionals. It is also to be noted that  countries like Malaysia and Singapore are transit countries of foreign nurses seeking further migration to end destination countries which has created gaps in their respective health systems.

ASEAN: Healthcare manpower ratio (2005 - 2012)

1) No of physicians per 10,000 population

Vietnam: 12.2   Thailand: 3.0    Singapore: 19.2   Philippines: 11.5   Myanmar: 5   Malaysia: 12.0   Laos: 1.9   Indonesia: 2.0   Cambodia: 2.3   Brunei: 13.6

2)  No of nursing and midwifery per 10,000 population

Vietnam: 10.1   Thailand: 21.8   Singapore: 63.9    Philippines: 60.0   Myanmar: 8.6   Malaysia: 32.8   Laos: 8.2   Indonesia: 13.8   Cambodia: 7.9   Brunei: 70.2

Source: WHO Health Statistics 2013