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Pakistan's Doctor Exodus Hits Record High in 2025, Straining Healthcare

A new data analysis reveals approximately 4,000 doctors formally emigrated from Pakistan in 2025, setting a historic record for medical migration from the country. The exodus is fueled by low salaries, difficult working conditions, and a lack of modern medical equipment and research facilities. A significant barrier is that 35% of women medical doctors do not work, often due to societal pressures and transportation challenges. This brain drain exacerbates a healthcare system already strained by infrastructure problems and an urban-centric distribution of facilities.

Key Points: Record 4,000 Doctors Left Pakistan in 2025, Report Reveals

  • 4000 doctors emigrated in 2025
  • Low salaries and poor conditions drive exodus
  • 35% of women doctors do not work
  • Healthcare concentrated in overwhelmed cities
  • Doctors seek advanced tech abroad
2 min read

Report reveals historic peak in medical migration from Pakistan in 2025

A new report shows a historic peak of medical migration from Pakistan, driven by low pay, poor infrastructure, and barriers for women doctors.

"around 3,800 to 4,000 doctors formally emigrated last year, marking a historic peak - Gallup Pakistan / The News International"

Islamabad, Feb 8

As many as 4,000 doctors left Pakistan for better opportunities in 2025. Skilled labour in Pakistan start looking for opportunities abroad since their graduation, at least in majority of the cases, a report said.

"New big data analysis by Gallup Pakistan, based on Bureau of Emigration records, shows around 3,800 to 4,000 doctors formally emigrated last year, marking a historic peak in medical migration from the country. Pakistan produces about 22,000 new doctors annually and has around 370,000 registered doctors," an editorial in Pakistan's leading daily The News International said.

"But for a population of nearly 250 million, the country would need at least 250,000 doctors to meet the WHO benchmark of one doctor per 1,000 people. While Pakistan appears to meet this requirement on paper, many registered doctors are not actively practicing. So why is our healthcare system a mess? The first issue is the inherent infrastructural and cultural problems that keep a large number of women doctors away from the workplace," it added.

According to a 2023 Gallup survey, 35 per cent of women medical doctors in Pakistan do not work.

Some do not work due to societal judgements while others remain unemployed due to increasingly difficult working conditions.

As transportation in Pakistan continues to remain a mess, many young women doctors opt some other job instead of worrying about travelling at night or odd hours.

Majority of doctors in Pakistan leave the profession due to low salaries being paid to them.

Previously, young doctors used to hold protest, where they highlighted the demanding work conditions.

However, the protests have almost vanished as successive governments showed no interests in listening to their demands, according to an editorial in The News International.

Healthcare facilities in Pakistan is concentrated in urban areas, implying that critically-ill patients need to travel to select few cities for accessing medical treatment. This overwhelms the already fragile healthcare centres in Pakistan's urban regions, resulting in healthcare workers being overworked.

Limited access to advanced healthcare infrastructure and research facilities also discourages ambitious professionals to stay in Pakistan, according to the editorial.

Doctors often feel frustrated over absence of modern medical equipment, training opportunities and collaborative environments in Pakistan and life abroad seems to attract them as they can practice in more technologically advanced healthcare ecosystems.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
The point about women doctors is crucial. Societal barriers preventing skilled professionals from working is a huge loss for any nation. India has made progress here, but we still have a long way to go to ensure safe and supportive workplaces for all healthcare workers, especially women. 🏥
V
Vikram M
It's a complex issue. On one hand, every professional seeks better opportunities. On the other, the home country suffers. We see this in India too, though perhaps not at this peak rate. The solution isn't to stop migration, but to improve conditions so doctors *want* to stay. Better pay, modern equipment, and respect for the profession are key.
P
Priya S
The urban-rural healthcare divide mentioned is a mirror to our own problems in India. All facilities are in metros, burdening those hospitals and leaving villages underserved. We need to decentralize healthcare infrastructure urgently, in both our countries.
R
Rohit P
While the situation is sad for Pakistan's citizens, we must also look inward. Our own doctors work in extremely tough conditions, especially in government hospitals. Long hours, violence against doctors, and inadequate infrastructure are real issues here too. Let's not be complacent.
M
Michael C
A respectful criticism of the article: it focuses on the "why" doctors leave but doesn't explore the impact on the patients left behind. What happens to the 250 million people when thousands of caregivers emigrate? That's the real human cost. The story needs to show that side more clearly.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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