KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 10 — Khairy Jamaluddin today announced that the Health Ministry will create another 4,186 permanent positions for medical, dental and pharmaceutical officers by June.
During a press conference today, the health minister added that this number will then be increased to 8,686 by 2025, in a bid to address the complaints of contract doctors and health workers in public service.
“The Cabinet has agreed to create 4,186 permanent positions in 2022, for the purpose of hiring 3,586 medical officers, 300 dental officers, and 300 pharmaceutical officers. They will be appointed starting June.
“The Cabinet has also agreed that at least 1,500 permanent posts for medical, dental and pharmaceutical officers will be created in the MoH each year from 2023 to 2025.
“In addition to this, the Cabinet has also agreed that a total of 800 permanent posts for medical specialists and 70 dental specialists will be established in the MoH every year starting 2023,” he said.
Additionally, Khairy said permanent positions at a rate of 800 medical officers and 70 dental officers per year may be created to replace those promoted to be specialists.
To be eligible for the permanent positions, the officers must have completed their housemanship, be registered with the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC), certified as fit for service, and have clean disciplinary records.
Khairy also said the MoH was developing a roadmap together with relevant agencies and ministries in order to create holistic solutions to the issues concerning contract officers.
“The contents of the roadmap include the setting up of a Bachelor of Medicine Technical Committee and Bachelor of Dental Surgery, evaluating and updating the Second Schedule of the Medical Act 1971, implementation of the Professional Qualification Examination and others.
“Further details about this roadmap are currently being finetuned and will be finalised. Developments regarding this matter will be announced from time to time,” added Khairy.
Today’s announcement is the latest development in the issue of contract medical officers that drew public attention last year amid the Covid-19 pandemic, spearheaded by the efforts of Hartal Doktor Kontrak movement.
Previously on January 15, Khairy announced that contract doctors would be eligible to apply for specialist training under the Hadiah Latihan Persekutuan (HLP) sponsorship beginning January 28, allowing them to apply for a Master’s degree, Area of Special Interest (AOSI) or PhD.
