PUTRAJAYA: The decision regarding the increment in doctors’ on-call allowances will be made during Friday’s (Jan 24) Cabinet meeting, says Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
The Health Minister said this was relayed to him by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday (Jan 21).
“I had the opportunity to speak with the Prime Minister, and he mentioned that we should wait for this Friday’s Cabinet meeting for a definitive decision.
“That is the mandate I was given to share this afternoon. The Prime Minister said that a thorough decision will be made during Friday’s Cabinet meeting.
“The spirit of it reflects what was mentioned last August in the Prime Minister’s speech—this increment is something he and I have already discussed, and he also mentioned it in Budget 2025.
“To me, that is the position as it stands. As for the details, we will wait for the decision and guidance from the Prime Minister this Friday,” he told a press conference at the Health Ministry here on Tuesday.
Dzulkefly highlighted that healthcare workers in Malaysia face extremely high workloads, with extended working hours of up to 33 hours per on-call duty and a staggering 99-hour work week.
“Such conditions should not be the norm in a profession aimed at improving public health and saving lives,” he added.
In response to these challenges, he said the Health Ministry has established the Medical Advisory and Action Committee (MAAC) in January 2024.
Comprising 10 frontline clinical experts from various specialisations, including Internal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Orthopaedics, Surgery, Radiology, Paediatrics, Anaesthesia, Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine and others, he said the committee aims to address pressing issues affecting healthcare workers.
