KUALA LUMPUR: Efforts are underway to expedite nurse recruitment and to retain those in service, which will be done through improved welfare support and career advancement opportunities, says Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (pic).
The Health Minister said the measures include salary adjustments under the Public Service Remuneration System (SSPA), as well as incentives and allowances for eligible personnel.
“The ministry’s priority is to ensure public nursing services remain competitive while safeguarding their welfare,” he said after launching the National Liver Health Initiative Roadmap 2026-2030.
Dzulkefly said other measures included maintaining the 42-hour working week for nurses on shift duty, expanding training and promotion opportunities, and offering greater flexibility in placements through a mutual exchange system.
He said nurses were among those who benefited most from the mutual exchange system, with recruitment also being expedited to fill existing vacancies.
He said the ministry no longer recruited nurses on a contract basis, with all new recruits offered permanent appointments.
The ministry is also working with the Finance Ministry to expedite the absorption of contract pharmacists into permanent positions, he added.
As of July, 3,545 contract pharmacists are still serving the Health Ministry, while another 115 are on the reserve list or awaiting permanent appointments.
Meanwhile, the minister said the National Liver Health Initiative 2026-2030 will focus on targeted screening and integrated patient care to improve early detection and treatment of liver diseases.
He said the approach would prioritise individuals at higher risk, including those with diabetes, obesity and hepatitis B or C.
“Every diagnosed patient must have a clear pathway to clinical assessment and appropriate treatment and long-term follow-up,” he said.
Dzulkefly also outlined a possible 12-month implementation framework, beginning with baseline assessments of disease prevalence, diagnosis, treatment and existing service gaps.
Citing the importance of timely diagnosis, he said five-year survival rates could reach about 70% with early detection, compared with less than 5% for patients diagnosed at stage four.
