By Lester Kong

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Government nurses with degrees can now reach higher pay grades under the Health Ministry.

Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said nurses with first degrees would be in pay grades from U41 to U54.

Currently, the highest pay grade nurses reach is U48.

The basic pay for fresh graduates in grade U41 is nearly RM2,000 per month excluding housing, personal, cost-of-living, critical post and public service allowances.

The salary with allowances for nurses at U48 is about RM8,000.

To reach the top grade of U54, nurses have to have at least a Masters, served more than 20 years as a nurse and have the necessary experience, skills and competence.

The U54 grade is normally for department directors who can be paid up to RM10,000 including allowances.

Medical assistants, X-ray technicians and health inspectors with degrees are also eligible for the same higher pay grades.

Liow said that by improving the overall salary of nurses, the ministry hoped they would be more focused on giving quality care.

"I hope these graduates will provide quality healthcare services not just by stressing on improving their knowledge and skills but also have positive values and attitudes towards patient care," he said.

He told reporters this after witnessing the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the ministry and 24 public and private institutions of higher learning to use its facilities for various healthcare education programmes yesterday.

Liow said the higher pay scheme was also to stop nurses from leaving for higher salaries in countries like Dubai.

"This should be good news for nurses. Malaysia cannot continue to have cheap labour. If we want to retain our workers, we can't pay them less," he said.

He added the country did not have enough nurses as the ratio was one nurse to 375 people.

"We need to reach one nurse to 200 residents to meet World Health Organisation standards by 2015," he said.