[UPDATED] Only 1,000 medical officers given permanent contracts since 2016: Khairy

KUALA LUMPUR – Only more than 1,000 medical officers have been given permanent contracts since 2016, while over 24,000 medical graduates are hired on a contract basis. 

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin (Rembau-BN), in revealing the numbers, told Dewan Rakyat today that contract doctors are a legacy issue that must be tackled in the soonest time.

“This is a legacy problem we need to tackle swiftly.

“I’m not sure we can absorb all doctors, but perhaps we can start by taking in the number of staff that the Health Ministry projects it needs,” he said during ministerial question time today.

He said of 10,583 healthcare personnel performing their compulsory service, 4,186 have been evaluated and will be referred to the Public Service Department for permanent appointments.

When asked by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (Port Dickson-PH) if the ministry can guarantee the permanent employment of more than 10,000 doctors, Khairy assured his stance is not too far away from the opposition leader.

However, Khairy said the ministry can only provide permanent positions based on its needs.

He said these 4,186 medical personnel comprising doctors, dentists, and pharmacists are based on the ministry’s projections of the number of staff needed next year.

In last month’s Budget 2022 tabling, the Finance Ministry said the contracts of 10,000 medical, dental, and pharmaceutical officers are to be extended from two to four years. – The Vibes, November 9, 2021