{
  "id": 13267646,
  "title": "Improve working conditions to retain doctors, govt told",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/improve-working-conditions-to-retain-doctors-govt-told",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-10T00:05:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/10/10/improve-working-conditions-to-retain-doctors-govt-told"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Malaysian government's 2027 budget proposal aims to attract permanent appointments for contract doctors, but a health policy researcher emphasizes that addressing retention requires additional measures. Ilyana Mukhriz, a researcher at the Khazanah Research Institute, asserts that permanent positions alone are insufficient to resolve the challenges of retaining doctors. She advocates for improved working conditions, clear career progression paths, adequate senior posts, fair remuneration, and appropriate living arrangements for doctors in rural areas. Despite the budget's increase to RM47 billion from RM46 billion for 2026, experts suggest the allocation should go further to fund a structured recruitment and retention program and an independent health services commission to improve healthcare sustainability.",
  "summary": "A researcher with Khazanah Research Institute says permanent appointments alone are not enough to retain doctors.",
  "key_points": [
    "Malaysian government proposes 2027 budget for permanent doctor appointments",
    "Health policy researcher Ilyana Mukhriz says permanent positions alone aren't enough",
    "Improved working conditions, career paths, and fair remuneration needed to retain doctors"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The government's focus on permanent appointments for contract doctors overlooks underlying retention issues that can only be addressed by improving working conditions, career progression, and fair remuneration.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Improve working conditions to retain doctors, govt told",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/improve-working-conditions-to-retain-doctors-govt-told-13269663",
        "published": "2026-10-10T00:05:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}