Pakistan faces doctor shortage crisis

LAHORE:

Pakistan needs approximately 179,000 additional doctors to meet the growing demand for healthcare, as public hospitals across the country continue to struggle with overcrowding and an acute shortage of medical facilities.

According to official figures, the country has 340,780 registered medical practitioners, including 164,554 male and 176,223 female doctors. The figures indicate a significant shortfall in medical staff against the population's healthcare needs.

The WHO recommends one doctor for every 1,000 people. However, teaching hospitals across Pakistan have, on average, one doctor available for every 1,300 people, reflecting the widening gap between healthcare demand and available medical personnel.

The situation is considerably worse at the Tehsil headquarters (THQ) and DHQ hospitals, as well as basic health units (BHUs), where only 0.23 doctors are available for every 1,000 patients. The shortage has added to the pressure on government hospitals, where patients face overcrowding and limited access to medical facilities. The absence of healthcare services proportionate to public demand is among the major reasons behind the growing burden on public-sector hospitals.

The issue is further compounded by the lack of a comprehensive national policy to ensure the equitable distribution of medical facilities among government hospitals across provinces and cities.