KUALA LUMPUR – The health minister has reinstated 90 days of maternity leave for all medical officers (MO) serving under the Hulu Langat district health office.
Minister Datuk Seri Dzukefly Ahmad said the circular by the Hulu Langat district health office dated June 27 that cut maternity leave to 60 days was when the issue was “in process” of searching for a solution to manpower shortages at the public health facilities in the district.
He said the issue had been resolved even before it was reported by health news portal CodeBlue on August 2.
“It was in the process of trying to find a solution… the issue has been resolved.
“Moving forward, if this happens, the first solution should be to temporarily place MOs from other facilities at (short-handed) clinics,” media reported him saying after launching an event in Putrajaya today.
Dzulkefly also said the ministry believes in being compassionate towards its personnel when it came to maternity leave as it was important for the newborn child.
CodeBlue had sighted and reported on the June 27 circular reducing maternity leave from 90 to 60 days for Hulu Langat district medical officers due to a critical shortage of doctors.
On August 3, Selangor state health department director Dr Ummi Kalthom Shamsudin justified the decision, saying it was done to prevent over-straining of other healthcare workers after several medical officers took simultaneous and overlapping maternity leave at a few facilities throughout June and July.
Responding to this, the Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Service slammed the ministry over the move yesterday, claiming that it was violating the employees’ rights. – August 6, 2024