Cardiac Surgery Backlog Grows as Kelantan, Terengganu Face Specialist Shortage

Heart surgery patients in Kelantan and Terengganu are facing prolonged delays after Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital in Kota Bharu lost its only cardiac surgeon, leaving the facility unable to perform complex cardiac procedures.

The hospital, which serves as the regional referral center for both states, has been without cardiothoracic surgery services for approximately one month. The unexpected departure has created a bottleneck in the cardiac care pipeline, forcing patients requiring urgent heart operations to seek treatment at hospitals in other states.

Malaysian health officials have not yet announced a timeline for recruiting a replacement specialist or alternative arrangements to resume services at the facility. The shortage underscores ongoing staffing challenges in regional medical centers across peninsular Malaysia, where specialist recruitment and retention remain persistent obstacles to comprehensive healthcare delivery.

Patients currently awaiting cardiac procedures have been transferred to larger tertiary centers, though distance and logistical constraints complicate access to care for residents of the two states. State health departments have been coordinating patient referrals to minimize disruption, but the situation highlights the vulnerability of healthcare services dependent on single specialists in regional hospitals.