World · Malaysia Bureau
Improve Working Conditions to Retain Doctors, Government Told
A research institute has warned that permanent employment alone is insufficient to retain medical professionals in Malaysia's public healthcare system. Addressing workplace environment is critical to stemming physician attrition, according to findings from the Khazanah Research Institute.
LSN Malaysia ·
Researchers at the Khazanah Research Institute have underscored the need for broader workplace improvements to address the retention crisis affecting Malaysia's public health sector, cautioning that offering permanent positions to doctors is not enough on its own.
The institute's findings suggest that policymakers must look beyond employment security to address factors driving physicians away from public healthcare roles. The research points to workplace conditions as a key consideration in whether medical professionals choose to remain within the government health system.
The warning comes as Malaysia's public healthcare sector continues to grapple with physician shortages and staff turnover. Healthcare administrators and government officials have long relied on permanent employment arrangements as a primary tool for retention, yet the institute's research indicates this approach requires complementary measures.
Experts recommend that efforts to strengthen the public health workforce should encompass comprehensive workplace reforms, including working conditions, professional development opportunities, and institutional support systems. Such measures, the institute suggests, would work in tandem with employment guarantees to create a more compelling career environment for doctors.
The findings add to growing calls for systemic reforms in Malaysia's public healthcare sector to ensure adequate physician staffing and service quality across government health facilities.