Govt to spend RM407mil a year on doctors’ on-call allowances

This is an annual increase of RM120 million from the RM287 million previously earmarked every year for the on-call allowances.

Medical and dental officers are currently getting between RM110 and RM300 a shift in on-call allowances. (Freepik pic)

PETALING JAYA:

 The government will spend about RM407 million a year to cover on-call allowances for medical and dental officers under the public healthcare system.

Health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said this was an annual increase of RM120 million from the RM287 million previously earmarked every year for the on-call allowances.

This comes after the government raised the allowances by about 40% in October, after not being reviewed since 2011.

“The allowances for medical and dental specialists were raised to between RM135 and RM350 per shift, while medical and dental officers are now getting between RM110 and RM300 a shift.

“All health ministry facilities have been ordered to implement this new on-call allowance rate since Oct 1. This also applies to medical and dental officers serving in government health facilities under the army and public universities,” he said in a written parliamentary reply to Andi Suryady Bandy (BN-Kalabakan). - FMT