KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 — Jelebu MP Jalaluddin Alias has asked the Ministry of Health (MOH) to absorb some 2,000 contract health care workers once the Covid-19 pandemic is over.
MOH offered a one-off six-month contract extension to 2,070 contract doctors, dentists, and pharmacists last September, following a previous six-month contract issued in April for 79 medical officers, 852 dental officers, and 1,139 pharmacy officers who completed their two-year compulsory service with the government.
“They have sacrificed for the country, in terms of life, time, family, and when we are safe from Covid-19, we kick them out, not fair,” the Umno lawmaker said while debating Budget 2021 in Dewan Rakyat last Thursday.
“Ensure 2,000 contract officers after this pandemic, after Covid-19, absorb them as permanent officers.”
Contract medical officers have been sent across the nation to be on the frontline in fighting the Covid-19 epidemic.
Health Minister Dr Adham Baba confirmed with CodeBlue yesterday that the Cabinet has agreed to promote contract medical officers from Grade UD41 to UD43, the same grade as their permanent counterparts. He said he would issue a statement soon, when asked when the salary adjustment for these contract officers would be carried out.
Dr Adham previously told a press conference shortly after Budget 2021 was tabled on November 6 that the health ministry is planning to absorb the contract officers as permanent officers after their salary adjustments.
Besides medical officers, MOH has also hired nurses and other support staff only on a contract basis to help fight the Covid-19 epidemic.
Subang MP Wong Chen has projected that Malaysian life may only return to normality in the last quarter of 2021, assuming the government purchases sufficient Covid-19 vaccines early, as he warned that the coronavirus epidemic would still pose a huge threat in Malaysia for at least the first nine months of next year.
