CLOSE to 4,000 contract nurses will be appointed to permanent positions starting this year, Khairy Jamaluddin said.

The health minister said this is an effort to improve the career assurance of the Health Ministry’s (MOH) employees and boost the quality of services.

“A total of 1,136 nurses who graduated from MOH’s training institute with contract appointment status will be given permanent positions between the fourth quarter of this year and the first quarter of 2023),” Khairy said in a statement today.

“As for 2,804 contract nurses from private institutions who are still serving at the MOH to support health services, their appointments will be made in phases to the Public Services Commission (PSC).”

He said among the professions that had been affected during Covid-19 pandemic is nursing, with MOH facing a shortage of staff to not just care for Covid patients but also in the roll-out of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.

Khairy also said 110 nurses with a bachelor’s degrees recognised by the government will be promoted to Grade U42.

“Among them, 50 are from Grade U32 and 60 from Grade U36. The offer will be made on October 17,” he said.

Apart for that, Khairy said, 49 Grade U41, U42 and U44 positions will be filled through the PSC in the first half of next year.

He said the ministry is also looking to make 226 positions involving Grade U41, U42 and U44 nurses available between 2023 and 2025.

In giving the breakdown on the number of positions by years, Khairy said 63 positions will be made available in 2023, 125 (2024) and 38 (2025).

He said the figures did not include the aim to make 7,434 Grade U29, U32 and U36 positions available during the same period.

Last month, Khairy said MOH had approved to absorb 4,053 contract medical workers, including doctors, dental officers and pharmacists, this year. – September 22, 2022.