Three Nurses Die in Iran Due to 'Overwork' in One Month

The Secretary-General of the Nurses' House reported the deaths of three nurses in Iran over the past month 'in their sleep' due to Karoshi syndrome, meaning 'death from overwork.' Mohammad Sharifi-Moqaddam said on Sunday, May 13, to the newspaper 'Etemad' that the poor conditions in Iranian hospitals have made nurses 'tired, unmotivated, and exhausted.' Iranian nurses are protesting against staff shortages, excessive workplace pressure, lack of job security, and low wages that disrupt their life balance. According to the Secretary-General of the Nurses' House, most nurses in Iran, especially male nurses, are forced to work both day and evening shifts because their living expenses cannot be covered by one shift; this leads to excessive fatigue from overwork. Recently, reports have emerged of an increase in the phenomenon of suicide among nurses in Iran, attributed to 'increasing pressure' at work. The exact number of nurse suicides in Iran is not officially known, but the rising figures are alarming. According to the World Bank, there are two active nurses for every thousand people in Iran, and difficult working conditions and inadequate incomes are among the issues that have led to widespread emigration of nurses in recent years. Mr. Sharifi-Moqaddam announced in November 2023 that the annual emigration rate of nurses has reached 3,000, and patients are dying due to the shortage of nurses in hospitals. This official from the Nurses' House of Iran also stated on Sunday that he was 'summoned' to provide evidence for these claims, but he said, 'Shouldn't evidence be provided for the light of day?' According to Mr. Sharifi-Moqaddam, nurses leaving Iran have various motivations, but the most important reason is financial issues, and those who leave for financial reasons do not return to Iran.