KUALA LUMPUR: An estimated RM3.4bil will be spent by the government for the creation of 11,296 additional permanent posts for health personnel starting this year until 2025, says Deputy Health Minister II Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang.

       He said the Cabinet had on Jan 19 agreed that a total of 4,186 additional permanent posts would be created in the Health Ministry this year, involving 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 of 2023 to 2025,” Aaron told the Dewan Rakyat during the Question and Answer session on Thursday (March 17).

       The government has also decided to add 160 additional permanent posts for dental officers and another 100 posts for pharmacy officers on top of the 300 posts initially agreed for the respective professions, he added.

       Every year from 2023 to 2025, there will also be at least 1,500 permanent positions for medical officers, dental officers and pharmacy officers created in the Health Ministry, Aaron also said.

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

       Meanwhile, from 2023 to 2025, there will also be 800 permanent positions for medical specialists and 70 for dental specialists created in the Health Ministry each year to cover the output of permanent specialists in health facilities under the ministry, said Aaron.

       “This involves financial implications of RM1.1bil for three years.

       “In total, the estimated financial implications for these 11,296 additional permanent posts are RM3.4bil,” he said.

       This was in response to a question by Noor Amin Ahmad (BN-Kangar) who 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, dentists, pharmacists and medical specialists as announced recently.