Remuneration packages for medical staff members

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services will adjust remuneration packages for its medical staff to ensure and encourage staff retention.

This is after the exodus of many medical staff members overseas which remains a challenge for the ministry to rebuild its staff capacity in a better and strong way.

Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services, Dr James Fong, said in their medium to longterm ambition, budget submissions had been prepared to support human resource expansion and remuneration.

This was indicated in the latest ministry public advisory released on December 17.

Dr Fong confirmed they had started with laboratory technicians being transitioned to laboratory scientist positions at a higher salary level.

Enrolled nurses have also been transitioned to nursing assistant jobs at a higher salary scale.

He said they had also raised the entry salary level for pharmacists.

“We continue to support the Government’s initiatives for greater engagement between the public health sector and the private health sector to mitigate potential service gaps caused by the ongoing migration,” he said.

Dr Fong said the 12-hour roster system has also been strategically implemented in some settings while they are finalising discussions to at least partially pay for pending leaves.

All this is to maintain the health staff numbers.

“We have good in-country stocks of medicines and consumables and we have strengthened our distribution capability to ensure better stock availability in health facilities,” he said.

The ministry is planning to develop warehouse capability in the Northern and Western Division to work towards a substantial improvement in this space.

COVID Hospitalisation and cases

The ministry recorded a surge in COVID-19 cases with 56 new cases identified and an increase in hospitalisation from the last update.

The Northern Division has three COVID hospitalisation cases with a further 12 cases each recorded for the Central and Western Divisions.