MOH recruits 8,302 contract healthcare workers to combat COVID-19

PUTRAJAYA: The Ministry of Health (MOH) has obtained approval from the Ministry of Finance to recruit 8,302 contract healthcare workers, through an initiative to optimise the use of human resources to address the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

Health Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba, said that the contract healthcare workers hired as of April included 82 science officers; 4,472 nurses; 2,249 assistant medical officers; 666 medical laboratory technologists; 340 assistant environmental officers and 293 diagnostic X-Ray technicians.

"The recruitment includes the Ministry of Finance's approval to extend the services of 200 counsellors, who provide counselling services and mental health support to clients at health clinics nationwide," he said in a statement today.

He said that the government had also agreed to approve another one-year contract extension for 3,622 medical and dental officers as well as pharmacists, with an emolument cost of RM 289.69 million.

"Contract renewal will be notified to the officers involved before the existing contract ends," he said.

Dr Adham said that the MOH had also appointed 3,042 MySTEP personnel to assist in non-clinical tasks at the ministry's health facilities and institutions.

Based on the current situation of COVID-19 infection in several states, MOH has implemented internal mobilisation of healthcare workers, involving various service schemes such as clinical physicians, public health physicians, medical officers, science officers, assistant medical officers and nurses.

He said that a total of 648 healthcare workers were mobilised to Sarawak, while another 366 were sent to Kelantan from April 26.

"Initiatives like this will be continued from time to time based on critical needs in certain states, while ensuring that the existing needs in other states are not affected," he said.

He expressed his appreciation to the Public Service Department; Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation; National Disaster Management Agency; ministries and agencies, as well as the state government administration, who have mobilised their personnel to assist the MOH in placements such as the Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre (CPRC), COVID-19 Quarantine and Low-Risk Treatment Centre (PKRC) and COVID-19 Assessment Centres and vaccination centres (PPV) nationwide.

A total of 306 members of the implementing group, including assistant administrative officers, administrative assistants (Clerical/Operations), administrative assistants (Finance), customer service officers and drivers, were mobilised to assist the state health departments and district health offices.

"The ministry hopes that the implementation of this initiative can further increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the government's efforts to address the pandemic of COVID-19 in the country," he said.

-- BERNAMA