Reports by MARTIN CARVALHO, ASHLEY TANG and FATIMAH ZAINAL

       AN estimated RM3.4bil will be spent by the government to create 11,296 additional permanent posts for health personnel until 2025, says Deputy Health Minister II Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang.

       He said the Cabinet on Jan 19 agreed that a total of 4,186 additional permanent posts be created in the Health Ministry this year, involving a total of 3,586 medical officers, 300 dental officers and 300 pharmacy officers.

       “This involves an initial financial implication of RM337.5mil per annum in 2022. The financial implications for the purpose of paying emoluments to these officers will continue to increase by RM1.2bil for the period between 2023 and 2025,” he said.

       The government also decided to add 160 additional permanent posts for dental officers and 100 more posts for pharmacy officers on top of the 300 posts each initially agreed for the respective professions, said Aaron.

       Each year from 2023 to 2025, he said there would also be at least 1,500 permanent positions for medical officers, dental officers and pharmacy officers.

       “The estimated financial implications for the purpose of paying emoluments is RM744.5mil for the whole period,” he said.

       Noor Amin Ahmad (BN-Kangar) had asked the Health Minister to state the financial costs to the ministry up to 2025 following the creation of thousands of permanent posts for medical officers and medical specialists as announced recently.