The Ministry of Health and Medical Services has confirmed that all overtime approvals will now be centralised under the Office of the Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services, following concerns over over-expenditure recorded during the past six months.
The Ministry was responding to the circulation on social media of an internal circular from CWM Hospital relating to overtime payments for medical staff.
In a statement, the Ministry said a senior management meeting was held on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, to address the growing overtime bill, which has exceeded budget allocations over the last six months.
The meeting focused on strengthening oversight, coordination and budgetary control, with officials agreeing that tighter approval processes were necessary to ensure responsible use of public funds.
Under the new arrangement, Cost Centre Heads will be required to submit overtime requests through established procedures, with final approval resting with the Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services.
The Ministry said the move is aimed at improving financial governance while ensuring continuity of essential health services.
The Ministry stressed that the changes are not intended to undermine frontline health services, but to ensure overtime is properly managed, justified and aligned with available resources.
