Kuala Lumpur:The Ministry of Health (MOH) plans to propose integrating contract dental and pharmacy officers into permanent positions. This move aims to safeguard the future and welfare of these professionals, seeking approval from the Ministry of Finance and the Cabinet.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad stated that the proposal would follow a previously used approach to address contract medical doctors' issues. He emphasized that the recruitment of dental and pharmacy officers would utilize a new quota, separate from the 9,000 permanent medical doctor positions announced under Budget 2027.

The Malaysian Dental Association (MDA) had earlier urged the government to consider permanent appointments for contract dental officers, especially after the announcement of permanent positions for medical doctors. Dzulkefly assured that the MOH is attentive to the welfare and work experience of dental officers whose contracts have ended without renewal.

Additionally, Dzulkefly expressed his hope that the Ministry of Finance would approve a request for a seed allocation of approximately RM100 million. This funding is intended to enhance the management of non-communicable diseases (NCD) at the primary healthcare level, focusing on prevention, screening, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure.

Dzulkefly highlighted that NCD management is a significant component of ongoing healthcare reforms. The approach includes not only first-stage screening but also ongoing diagnosis, treatment, and control of conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. He noted that benchmarking per capita expenditure for NCD management considers practices in countries like Singapore and Indonesia and aligns with global trends prioritizing primary healthcare services.