Permanent appointments for contract doctors to be done systematically, says Dr Zaliha

KUALA LUMPUR: The appointment of 12,800 permanent doctors will take into account medical officers who have completed graduate training and are fully registered with the Malaysian Medical Council and meet the requirements for permanent appointment, says Dr Zaliha Mustafa.

The Health Minister said the Health Ministry was committed and will follow up on the matter so that staffing and appointment matters can be managed in an orderly and effective manner.

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"Apart from that, the Health Ministry is also fine-tuning other issues related to contract medical officers including the feedback collected during the townhall session on Feb 22, 2023.

"This matter will be presented to the High-Level Committee (HLC) which was established based on the government's decision on March 31," she said in a statement Wednesday (April 5).

On Tuesday (April 4), Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that a total of 12,800 of the 20,330 contractually appointed doctors will be absorbed into permanent positions within three years with an additional allocation of RM1.7bil.

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Commenting further, Dr Zaliha said the government is also studying the extension of the locum allowance to officers in the management and professional groups at the ministry besides medical officers.

"Apart from that, the Health Ministry will continue with contract appointments for the purpose of graduate training (housemanship), which also gives implications to the increase in the cost of its emoluments every year," she said. - Bernama