KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 — The Health Ministry will spend RM3.4 billion for the purpose of creating permanent positions for medical, dental and pharmaceutical officers for the period of 2022 to 2025, said Deputy Health Minister II Datuk Aaron Ago Dagong.
He said this will be the estimated amount to be spent for all 11,296 permanent positions created.
“The implementation of this decision involves an initial financial implication of RM337.5 million per annum in 2022.
“The financial implications for the purpose of paying emoluments to these officers will continue to increase for the period of 2023 to 2025 which is RM1.2 billion,” Aaron told the Dewan Rakyat today regarding 4,186 permanent positions created for medical, dental and pharmaceutical officers by June, whereby 3,586 are medical officers, 300 dental officers, and 300 pharmaceutical officers.
He was responding to PKR's Kangar MP Noor Amin Ahmad who asked the government to state the amount spent for the purpose of the absorption exercise by the health ministry.
The deputy health minister also said following the vacancies of dental officers and pharmacy officers, the total number of permanent recruitments is 460 dentists and 400 pharmacists.
“The government has also agreed to create at least 1,500 permanent positions for medical officers, dental and pharmacy officers under the health ministry starting 2023 to 2025.
“The estimated financial implications for the purpose of paying emoluments is RM744.5 million for that period,” he said.
At the same time, Aaron said the government has also agreed that 800 permanent positions for medical officers and 70 dental officers be created each year starting from 2023 to 2025 to accommodate permanent medical specialist output at the Health Ministry’s facility.
“This will involve financial implication of RM1.1 billion for the estimation of three years,” he said.
The decision to absorb contract medical professionals 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 the 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.
