Medical personnel will have to start work from the usual time – at 7 am – in a bid to ensure that the public has access to essential health services, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Health on December 31, 2022.

This means that medical personnel will be spending two hours more on duty than the general official time schedule approved by the Cabinet late last year.

"Following the announcement of new working hours taking effect from January 1, 2023, and to ensure continuity of essential health care services, the Ministry of Health would like to informal personnel working in all health facilities and the general public that working hours in health facilities will remain the same as it was the case in 2022,” the statement by the Ministry of Health reads in part.

"Heads of health facilities are urged to continue facilitating staff with special needs and ensure a conducive working environment for effective service delivery,” it added.

On November 11, 2022, the Office of the Prime Minister issued a communiqué of cabinet meeting decisions, including that the official working hours will be eight, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm , excluding a one-hour lunch break.

However, the same communiqué stated that essential services to the public will remain available throughout the day, and that the new changes would take effect beginning with January this year.

While explaining the reason for the change in working hours, Government officials said that the development is intended to improve workplace productivity and family wellbeing, such as through facilitating parents to care for their children before school and work starts.