Jakarta, Jan. 22 -- Indonesia will begin paying monthly incentives directly to medical specialists working in remote areas starting in January 2026, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said Thursday, in a move aimed at ensuring payments reach doctors more reliably.

Sadikin said the central government will disburse Rp30 million (about US$1,800) per month to each eligible specialist, ending the previous system in which funds were channeled through regional administrations via special allocation budgets.

The incentive applies to around 1,500 specialists assigned to underserved and hard-to-reach regions, under a presidential regulation issued in August 2025.

"At that time, because it was in the middle of the year, the funds were transferre...