The Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Service (Cuepacs) is appealing to the government to exempt the Health Ministry from a staff recruitment curb under the Public Service Size Control Policy and Optimal Human Resource Policy.

Its president, Azih Muda said the exemption was to accommodate the increasing number of patients seeking treatment at health clinics and government hospitals nationwide apart from reducing the burden of medical staff especially doctors, nurses and medical assistants. 

He said it was to improve the service delivery system to the people as well as ensuring patients obtain the required treatment within a short period of time.

“Cuepacs feels the government has to allow more than 10,000 new posts sought by the Health Ministry within a short period of time, especially posts such as doctors, nurses and X-ray personnel.

"Cuepacs have received numerous complaints from civil servants in hospitals and health clinics on the lack of employees and the heavy workload,” he told reporters after opening the southern zone Safety and Health Occupational Seminar in Melaka today.

Yesterday, Bernama reported Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye as hoping for the ministry to be exempted from the recruitment freeze as the ministry needed more staff to man new health service facilities apart from addressing the shortage of posts.

Meanwhile, in Kuala Lumpur, the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) is also calling for the Education Ministry to be exempted from a staff increase freeze to achieve the education transformation agenda as well as to produce an excellent leadership generation.

NUTP secretary-general Harry Tan Huat Hock said the ministry was tasked with creating a quality education system to meet the aspirations of the country and better students.

“NUTP thinks the Education Ministry needs more staff to implement the ministry’s vision and mission as well as to relieve the workload of teachers,” he said.

- Bernama