KUALA LUMPUR: The government has agreed to extend special medical duty leave and critical illness leave facilities to medical, dental and pharmacy officers on contract.

       Health Ministry secretary-general Datuk Mohd Shafiq Abdullah said the notification on the approval had been received from the Public Service Department on Dec 27.

       "The notification clarifies the approval and implementation of the Special Medical Duty Leave, as well as the Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Cancer Leave facilities for medical, dental and pharmacy officers on contract," he said in a statement on Thursday (Dec 30).

       Mohd Shafiq said a circular on the matter had been issued to all Heads of Departments under the ministry.

       Earlier, a tweet uploaded via the ‘HartalDoktorKontrak’ Twitter account had questioned whether the leave facilities had been officially extended to contract medical officers. - Bernama