Permanent Appointment Of Nurses Set To Fill 14,000 Vacancies - Dzulkefly

IPOH, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- The permanent appointment of trained nurses is expected to fill some 14,000 vacancies nationwide, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad said.

According to him, the move to discontinue interim contract appointments for nurses starting this year was among the ministry’s key efforts to increase personnel at health facilities across the country.

“As of last August, there were 83,158 nursing posts nationwide, of which 69,158 had been filled, leaving a deficit of some 14,000 vacancies.

“We have absorbed contract appointments on a permanent basis as well,” he told a press conference after officiating the Convocation Ceremony of the MOH Training Institute (ILKKM) Peninsular Malaysia Zone 2025 here today. A total of 586 graduates received their scrolls at today’s convocation session.

Dzulkefly said the move was also aimed at addressing the shortfall in the nurse-to-population ratio recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which is at least six nurses per 1,000 people.

He said that Malaysia’s nurse-to-population ratio currently stands at 3.8 per 1,000.

Dzulkefly added that, besides permanent appointments, the annual intake of trainee nurses had been raised from 1,000 to 3,000, marking a 200 per cent increase with RM25 million allocated for the purpose.

Meanwhile, in his speech at the ceremony, Dzulkefly said that ILKKM is projected to produce 18,000 additional nurses by 2030.

He also said that a total of 6,316 health graduates were produced this year through 13 diploma or certificate programmes, as well as one nursing diploma (transition programme).

--BERNAMA