PUTRAJAYA, Jan 6 — Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa today said that her ministry received RM19.32 billion from the government on December 20, 2022.

Of the amount, she said RM17.05 billion will be going towards operating expenditure, while RM2.27 billion is set for development expenditure.

"The Ministry of Health (MoH) expects to receive a higher provision this year compared to the RM32.41 billion received in 2022,” she said during her New Year's address at the ministry here.

Dr Zaliha also announced that her ministry will be offering 4,914 new positions for this year.

She said he new positions comprise of 4,263 medical officers, 335 dental officers and 316 pharmaceutical officers.

"Advertisements will run from January 6 to January 21, 2023," she said.

On a separate matter, Dr Zaliha said her ministry aims to reduce wait times at its hospitals and clinics, as well as better manage its human resources.

She then suggested to district health directors to reconsider operating government health clinics in their districts for "extended hours".

She said this could help take pressure off hospital emergency departments during late shifts.

"Long wait times are occurring especially in urban areas following an increase in population, and a rise in clients who are getting treatments at MoH hospitals and clinics including at hospital emergency department, even though the patient is categorised as not critical," she said.

She pointed towards the 2019 Auditor-General's Report that said 70 per cent of cases received in hospital emergency departments were actually non-emergency or cold cases.

She also called on district health directors to do work rotations, such as placing officers in health clinics to hospitals — to reduce officers' long working hours and reduce burnout.