Physician workforce shortage increasing in Kazakhstan

NUR-SULTAN. KAZINFORM – Kazakhstan has been facing a physician workforce shortage for the past five years, a source at the Audits Committee said Monday, Kazinform reports.

According to a representative of the Audits Committee Nurlan Katrenov, shortage of medical specialists in Kazakhstan has more than doubled from 10,000 physicians in 2017 to 23,000 physicians in 2021.

The shortfall of medical personnel for physicians themselves most of the times means longer working hours, overlapping positions, as well as unhappy patients.

The nation’s healthcare sector has been experiencing a brain drain as, according to Katrenov, almost 5,000 physicians left Kazakhstan in the past five years.

He also stressed that 30% of physicians in Kazakhstan are about to reach their retirement age.