Kuala Lumpur: A total of 774 Assistant Medical Officers (AMOs) under the sixth and seventh phases of contract appointments will be offered permanent positions as early as next month, in line with the government’s commitment to strengthening the healthcare workforce.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad stated that, currently, 3,264 AMOs remain on contract status. Of these, 2,661 are stationed at the Ministry of Health’s Training Institutes, while the rest are employed in private institutions.

“The total number of positions for AMOs stands at 17,770, with 92 percent or 16,301 already filled, leaving 1,469 vacancies,” Dr Dzulkefly noted during a press conference following the 14th National-Level Medical Assistants Day celebration at Hospital Tunku Azizah.

Dzulkefly emphasized that the government continues to work towards enhancing the clinical skills of over 25,000 AMOs nationwide. This includes increasing training capacity and employing new personnel to ensure their skills remain relevant and aligned with the needs of the national healthcare system.

In line with this endeavor, the Health Ministry is committed to supporting ongoing training and curriculum improvements for AMO training, as outlined in the Assistant Medical Officer Profession Development Plan 2016-2030.

Furthermore, to boost the professionalism of AMOs, Dzulkefly mentioned that the ministry is in the process of strengthening the registration of Assistant Medical Officer Technical Experts (AMOTeX). This regulatory platform aims to ensure that highly skilled AMOs continue to contribute to the ministry’s specialist services.

“Simultaneously, the ministry endorses the establishment of flexible positions for AMOs in specialized fields to create a more dynamic and adaptable workforce that meets current needs,” he elaborated.