BANGI: A total of 3,850 out of 4,352 Grade UD10 medical officers have agreed to accept the government’s offer of a permanent appointment.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad confirmed that all officers who accepted the offer will report to Ministry of Health facilities nationwide beginning October 2.
He stated that the acceptance rate remains consistent with previous years, but this round included three placement options including positions in Sabah and Sarawak to address maldistribution issues.
Dzulkefly expressed his hope that these medical officers would continue their service to help develop and strengthen the country’s public health facilities.
Survey results from Sabah and Sarawak revealed that many medical officers from Peninsular Malaysia who were initially reluctant chose to remain serving there for five to 10 years.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had announced on July 23 that the government would expedite the filling of 4,352 healthcare positions due to urgent sector needs.
Anwar had also called on the Health Ministry to speed up bureaucratic processes that were causing delays in appointments.
Dzulkefly also introduced RESET, a health financing reform initiative developed with the Finance Ministry, Bank Negara Malaysia, and the Employees Provident Fund.
He explained that RESET provides an umbrella framework for initiatives like Medical and Health Insurance/Takaful, Diagnosis-Related Groups, and the National Health Fund.
The minister clarified that these reforms are not about privatisation but about strengthening the public health system that serves all Malaysians.
Dzulkefly announced that the Allied Health Workforce Blueprint 2026–2035, developed with the World Health Organisation, is expected to be launched soon.
This blueprint serves as a roadmap to strengthen governance and optimise workforce capacity for allied health professionals.
The 14th Allied Health Scientific Conference 2025, themed ‘Innovate, Integrate, Inspire: Sustainable Healthcare Through Allied Health’, was attended by more than 500 participants. – Bernama
