THE Health Ministry (MOH) has urged private GPs and contract doctors to participate in the initiative to extend operating hours at public health clinics to ensure its success.

Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said co-operation would help the MOH to reduce the workload on public sector health workers and provide the best service to patients.

“We have identified 52 health clinics (nationwide) that require extended hours.

“This can help reduce congestion in the emergency departments,” she said in Putrajaya today.

Zaliha said expanding the public sector duty roster was a possibility in future but for now, the ministry encouraged the participation of GPs and contract doctors.

Yesterday, the MOH announced the extended hours at 52 health clinics nationwide to reduce overcrowding in hospital emergency departments.

Clinic operating hours in the Klang Valley have been extended from 5pm to 9.30pm on Mondays to Fridays, and 8am to noon on Saturdays.

Meanwhile, in Kedah, Kelantan and Johor, operating hours on Sundays to Thursdays have been extended from 5pm to 9.30pm, and 8am to noon on Saturdays.

Regarding efforts to increase the number of kidney transplants, she said the ministry will implement the pair kidney exchange programme at Kuala Lumpur Hospital and Selayang Hospital.

“We will also implement various other programmes to help more patients,” she said.

She added that the number of chronic kidney patients in Malaysia has increased from 9.7% in 2011 to 15.5% in 2018. – Bernama, March 12, 2023.