RM1.76bil has been allocated to hire medical officers and nurses, says Health Minister

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of RM1.72bil has been allocated to hire permanent medical officers and nurses, says Dr Zaliha Mustafa (pic).

The Health Minister said that the hiring of new permanent medical personnel was part of a new policy addressing the manpower needs of the ministry.

"This will be used for the hiring of permanent medical officers, pharmacists, dentist and other new posts which are created," she said when winding up her ministerial replies on Budget 2022 at the committee stage in Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (March 21).

She said that a total of 4,914 medical officers, dentist and pharmacist would be permanently employed as of March this year.

She also said that a total of 2,971 Grade 29 contract nurses and 392 contract medical officers would be hired as permanent personnel this year.

Dr Zaliha said that this was apart from the RM2.6bil set aside to hire on contract a total of 39,991 medical personnel for various disciplines including specialists.

She said that ministry was allocated RM36.33bil under the budget where RM4m83bil would be for development purposes.

She added that 26 hospitals including 400 dilapidated health clinics located throughout the country would be upgraded.