PIMA alarmed by 'mass migration' of doctors

KARACHI:

Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) on Friday voiced serious concerns over the mass migration of doctors from Pakistan, citing poor security, low salaries, unsafe working conditions, and professional instability as key drivers behind the trend.

Speaking at a press conference at the Karachi Press Club, PIMA Central President Dr Atif Hafeez Siddiqui revealed that nearly 4,000 doctors migrated abroad in 2025 alone, while 50 to 60 per cent of Pakistani doctors are actively seeking overseas opportunities. He warned that this brain drain poses a severe threat to the national healthcare system.

The PIMA highlighted the urgent need to provide doctors with a safe, dignified, and professional environment to enable them to deliver quality medical services to the public without fear. PIMA condemned the brutal killing of Dr Mehwish in Kohat, describing it as not only a personal tragedy but also a serious blow to the state's authority and the protection of healthcare professionals.

Dr Siddiqui said, "Protecting doctors is protecting public health. If immediate and serious measures are not taken, the country could face a major healthcare crisis." He added that doctors have also been targeted in cities, including Sargodha, Gojra, and Abbottabad, in recent years.

He added that around 22,000 doctors graduate annually in Pakistan, but due to low pay, security risks, unsafe work environments, and long hours, many either leave the profession or move abroad. "Reports suggest that 3,800 to 4,000 doctors left the country in 2025 alone. In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, the trend is even higher due to security and employment issues," he said, citing Senate Standing Committee on Health data.