{
  "id": 13685656,
  "title": "Health Ministry steps up efforts to recruit, retain nurses amid overseas migration",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/11/health-ministry-steps-up-efforts-to-recruit-retain-nurses-amid",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-11T09:12:26.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/10/11/health-ministry-steps-up-efforts-to-recruit-retain-nurses-amid-overseas-migration/238702"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 — Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad announced intensified efforts by the Ministry of Health to recruit and retain nurses, amid a concerning trend of nurses migrating overseas. The Ministry is implementing a range of measures, including salary adjustments under the Public Service Remuneration System, as well as increased incentives and allowances for eligible personnel, with the Post-Basic Incentive raised from RM100 to RM200 a month.\n\nDr Dzulkefly emphasized that the Ministry's primary objective is to ensure the competitiveness of public nursing services while maintaining the welfare of nurses. Other initiatives include maintaining a 42-hour working week for shift-duty nurses, expanding training and promotion opportunities, and offering enhanced flexibility through a mutual exchange system. The Minister highlighted that nurses particularly benefit from the mutual exchange system, and recruitment has been expedited to fill existing vacancies.\n\nFurthermore, the Ministry has ceased recruiting nurses on contract basis, offering all new recruits permanent appointments instead. The Ministry is collaborating with the Ministry of Finance to expedite the transition of contract pharmacists into permanent roles. As of July, 3,545 contract pharmacists were still serving in the Ministry, with an additional 115 on the reserve list or awaiting permanent appointments. Dr Dzulkefly expressed optimism that the appointment process for these pharmacists could be expedited, allowing them to join the permanent service.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 — The Ministry of Health (MOH) is expediting nurse recruitment and strengthening efforts to r...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "Health Ministry steps up efforts to recruit, retain nurses amid overseas migration",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/11/health-ministry-steps-up-efforts-to-recruit-retain-nurses-amid-13687945",
        "published": "2026-10-11T09:12:26.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}