Kuala Lumpur: The proposed implementation of the 'Waktu Bekerja Berlainan' (WBB), a system of different working hour shifts, is set to be a key topic at the Ministry of Health (MOH) retreat, which commences today and will continue until January 19. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad announced that updates on this matter would be provided after the retreat concludes this weekend.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Dr Dzulkefly highlighted that the retreat will address significant issues such as human resource challenges, the enhancement of service delivery quality, and the imbalance in health worker distribution, including the WBB proposal. The WBB system aims to alleviate fatigue, improve the quality of life and welfare for medical officers, and enhance overall service delivery quality to the public.

Dr Dzulkefly elaborated that the implementation of WBB seeks to reduce the maximum active on-call working hours from 33 to 18 hours per session for involved staff and ensure that no medical officer works more than 24 consecutive hours. It also aims to decrease the total on-call hours from 99 to a maximum of 72 hours per week.

The minister explained that WBB represents a proposed change in work scheduling developed by MOH staff, following engagements with various departments at selected health facilities since January last year. This process involved medical officers and specialists in a targeted manner. The new system is intended to operate alongside the existing on-call and shift systems for medical officers and specialists.

Dr Dzulkefly reiterated the ministry's commitment to improving the work environment to better support the welfare and well-being of its staff. He assured that the MOH will continue efforts to deliver the best services, ensuring the health and well-being of all.