KUALA LUMPUR, June 8 — The government has agreed to extend the Fare to Return to Region of Origin facility to medical, dental and pharmacy officers on contract of service who are undergoing housemanship, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said.

The Cabinet meeting today also agreed to extend the Special Medical Assignment Leave and the Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Cancer Leave to them as well, he said, explaining that a previous Cabinet meeting on July 14 last year agreed to extend these facilities to contract officers who have had their contracts extended after completing housemanship.

"In line with continuous efforts and our commitment to improve the welfare of contract officers, the Health Ministry at the Cabinet meeting today presented another memorandum for their consideration so that existing facilities be improved,” he said in a statement here today.

He hoped that the decision to extend the leave facilities would address the imbalance among contract officers currently undergoing housemanship and those who have completed it.

Khairy said that the memorandum was an effort by his ministry to improve and ensure a conducive workplace environment for all employees to ensure high quality and safe health service delivery. — Bernama