On-call allowance for health workers raised
PUTRAJAYA: The Ministry of Health (MOH) has received approval to increase the On-Call Duty Allowance (ETAP) for health workers and an announcement on the matter will be made later, said its Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
He stressed that the welfare aspect of health workers has always been fought for and has been his priority throughout his leadership at MOH.
'We have already received approval for the increase in the active allowance or ETAP, we just need to announce the amount, I have been asked to wait for the announcement,' he said.
He told reporters after launching the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2024: Nutrition at MOH here today.
ETAP is compensation for additional responsibilities carried out by medical officers in treating patients while on-call at hospitals after normal working hours.
In addition, Dzulkefly said that his party has also received approval regarding the fee schedule involving private clinics and hospitals.
Regarding the claim that the Ministry of Health held a large-scale Hari Raya ceremony and invited famous artists, he stressed that the appearance of Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin was through the platform of Yayasan Nurjiwa.
He said that the Ministry of Health did not pay Biduanita Negara to perform while Datuk Jamal Abdillah was only given a small token.
'This (Hari Raya ceremony) is also to celebrate the senior citizens of the Ministry of Health who are not only at the Ministry of Health in Putrajaya but they came from other places,' he said.
Previously, several news portals criticised Dzulkefly and his ministry for spending a lot for their Hari Raya ceremony, including inviting famous artists including Siti Nurhaliza.
Following this, Siti Nurhaliza explained that her presence at the Ministry of Health Aidilfitri Celebration Ceremony was as a guest, not as an officially invited artist to perform.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
7 hours ago
- New Straits Times
APHM offers clinical data to support DRG system pricing rollout
KUALA LUMPUR: Member hospitals under the Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) have offered to share clinical data essential for developing the Diagnostic-Related Group (DRG) pricing model. In a statement today, APHM said its member hospitals will provide the relevant data to the Health and Finance Ministries, as this foundational data is currently unavailable and poses significant challenges to the timely and effective implementation of the DRG system. "APHM is heartened to hear (Health Minister) Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad shared in his opening speech at the APHM International Healthcare Conference & Exhibition 2025 today that a basic medical and takaful health insurance product will be introduced this year, while the DRG will be rolled out in phases. "For the DRG or any DRG-type mechanism to work, accurate clinical data and a national electronic health record system are needed. "At present, this foundational data is not yet available, which presents significant challenges for timely and effective DRG implementation," it said. APHM said implementing the DRG system properly will take more than six months, as the data collection and analysis process is both complex and time-consuming. The association also advocates allocating sufficient time and resources to ensure that the DRG model is well conceptualised, thoroughly piloted, and effectively executed to bring long-term improvements to Malaysia's healthcare system. On April 18, Dzulkefly said the ministry plans to implement the DRG syste m in stages this year, starting with common illnesses. On April 21, APHM's president Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh said the DRG pricing model presents a major challenge for Malaysia, primarily due to the lack of a universal healthcare financing system. The DRG model is a billing system under which hospitals charge a fixed fee for treating specific illnesses or conditions, aimed at curbing medical inflation.
![[UPDATED] Malaysia's health spending jumps 4 times in 20 years](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.nst.com.my%2Fimages%2Farticles%2FDzulkefly_Ahmadwe_1749435876.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
New Straits Times
8 hours ago
- New Straits Times
[UPDATED] Malaysia's health spending jumps 4 times in 20 years
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's per capita health expenditure nearly quadrupled between 2000 and 2020. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the figure surged from RM600 in 2000 to RM1,600 in 2020, driven by rising demand for healthcare and advances in medical technology. "Private sources accounted for RM40 billion, or 47 per cent, of total health expenditure in 2024. "Out-of-pocket spending remains high, at around 36 per cent of total health expenditure. "Our vision is to sustainably expand fiscal space while ensuring healthcare remains accessible, high-quality, and equitable," he said at the launch of the 31st Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) International Healthcare Conference & Exhibition 2025, here, today. Dzulkefly said the Health Ministry was working with the Finance Ministry, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), and the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) to develop a health insurance and takaful product. This product will support the rollout of the new Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRGs) system, which aims to transform the way healthcare services are paid for. He also dismissed speculation of a delay in the DRG implementation, adding that the initiative remained on track to be introduced in phases by the end of this year, starting with the "Rakan KKM" project. "This is not privatisation. It is publicly owned and developed for public benefit, offering optional value-added services within the Health Ministry's hospitals. "We are already seeing proof-of-concept through the Hospital Service Outsourcing Programme (HSOP), which applies bundled payment principles. "For example, waiting times for arteriovenous (AV) fistula creation for haemodialysis patients have been reduced by over 75 per cent," he added. Turnaround times for Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Angiography (MRI/MRA) services have also improved by more than 20 per cent, Dzulkefly said, saying these value-based models demonstrated that system efficiency and clinical outcomes could be enhanced. Meanwhile, APHM president Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh highlighted the lack of a national electronic health record system, which he said was a critical gap in the DRG implementation process. "The absence of such a system makes DRG implementation more complex," he said. Nevertheless, he expressed appreciation for the ministry's commitment to collaboration and its data-driven, evidence-based approach to the DRG rollout.
The Star
9 hours ago
- The Star
Cabinet to decide on cannabis vape factory issue, says Health Minister
KUALA LUMPUR: The Cabinet will make a collective decision regarding the controversy surrounding a US-based vape company manufacturing "cannabis hardware" in Johor, says Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad. "I will address this issue later. We have to present it to the Cabinet and from there, we will make a collective decision," he said. He added that several ministries and agencies are involved, such as the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry, the Malaysian Investment Development Authority among others. "So, we will table this in the Cabinet meeting and reach a collective decision," said Dr Dzulkefly after attending the opening ceremony of the 31st Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) conference at the KL Convention Centre on Monday (June 9). On Thursday (June 5), Perikatan Nasional health committee chair Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi called for a police investigation into the vape factory in Senai, Johor operated by Ispire Technology Inc, a Nasdaq-listed company based in California, US. "The manufacturing licence for Ispire's factory in Senai was issued by Mida. However, questions arose as to whether Mida approvals cover the manufacturing of cannabis-related products, which is clearly illegal under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952," said the Kuala Langat MP. The licence granted by Mida to Ispire is touted as Malaysia's first federal licence to produce nicotine products. The sale of nicotine liquids is regulated under the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act.
