Housemen who completed training to get contract doctor's pay

KUALA LUMPUR: The Cabinet has approved the Health Ministry's appeal for contract doctors to be promoted from housemanship grade UD41 to contract doctors grade UD43, Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad tweeted.

The Health Minister said that this applied to dentists and pharmacists posts as well.

"Long awaited news. Alhamdulillah. The Cabinet has approved the Health Ministry's application for contract MOs (medical officers) to be changed from UD41 to UD43.

"Likewise with dental and pharmacy officers," he tweeted on Wednesday (Nov 20).

Dzulkefly said that he had also been asked to look into the implementation of post-graduate/specialisation studies with the Finance Ministry and Public Service Department for contract doctors.

"Thank you PM and Cabinet," he said.

Malaysian Medics International (MMI) chairman Dr S. S. Vikkineshwaran, who had highlighted contract doctors' issues, said housemen who completed their training by default get promoted from UD41 to UD43.

However, on Oct 21, Dzulkefly said in Parliament that the housemen were to continue with UD41.

Due to the job freeze, housemen had to wait for posts to be vacated before they are promoted.

Dr Vikkineshwaran said that this was a small victory as there were still some unanswered questions.

"Some of the contract medical officers have signed their new UD41 medical officer contract last week.

"Now that we have changed back to the UD43 pay, the ministry needs to amend the contract for these medical officers," he said.