Starting April 1, public medical institutions have officially transitioned to a five-day business week, the Ministry of Health's press service said. To ensure continuity of care, a specialized on-call rotation has been established for weekends and public holidays.
Under the new provisional guidelines approved by the Ministry, the standard business hours for medical professionals are now capped at 36 hours per week. This 36-hour limit also applies to staff facing high psycho-emotional or intellectual burdens, while those working in hazardous or dangerous conditions will benefit from even further reduced hours. Administrative and non-medical staff, however, will maintain a standard 40-hour business week.
The new operational schedule for outpatient clinics (polyclinics) is as follows:
- Monday to Friday: 08:00 to 20:00.
- Saturday: 08:00 to 14:00 (on-call service).
- Core Hours: 08:00 to 16:00.
- Evening Duty: 16:00 to 20:00.
The Ministry emphasized that these changes will not result in any salary reductions. "Current labor contracts and internal regulations are being updated to reflect these shifts. Inpatient hospitals will maintain their permanent duty rosters, with shifts and on-call assignments distributed equitably among staff," the statement clarified.
This systemic reform was mandated by the November 9 presidential decree, aimed at providing better support and work-life balance for medical and pharmaceutical professionals.
