New MoH regulations set clear limits and controls for on-call duty allowances
Health Minister Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadhi approved new regulations governing on-call allowances for pharmaceutical and auxiliary medical staff, reinforcing administrative governance, regulating shift assignments, and ensuring efficient distribution of on-call hours across Ministry of Health facilities.
Minister of Health Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadhi has issued a ministerial decision introducing new regulations governing on-call allowances for employees in pharmaceutical services and auxiliary medical fields.
The move aims to strengthen administrative governance, organize duty schedules, and ensure a balanced distribution of on-call hours to enhance operational efficiency across Ministry of Health facilities.
According to the decision, eligibility for the on-call allowance requires no fewer than 30 hours of monthly on-call duty and sets a maximum of 48 hours. The allowance is calculated based on hours actually performed, with deductions applied if an employee takes regular or other types of leave, reports Al-Rai daily.
The decision prohibits combining on-call duty allowances with compensation for overtime or shift work. However, it allows employees to be assigned overtime outside official working hours on days when they are not scheduled for on-call duty.
It also outlines the categories of staff eligible for the allowance, in accordance with Table No. (4) of Civil Service Council Resolution No. 7 of 2003, stressing the need for full adherence to the new regulatory standards.
Work centers are required to prepare monthly on-call schedules that meet approved regulatory criteria, including staff distribution, shift timings, and required hours to maintain uninterrupted services.
These schedules must be approved by the heads of the technical department and medical staff, depending on the specialization of the hospital or primary healthcare center.
The decision further mandates that work centers send schedule copies to relevant department directors and upload them through the Enjaz electronic system. A certified copy of each monthly schedule must also be kept on record at the work center.
