Ministry of Health Reports a Shortage of 70,000 Nurses in Iran

Reports published in Iranian media indicate that alarm bells have sounded in the health sector, with the Ministry of Health announcing a shortage of 70,000 nurses. Meanwhile, nursing activists have declared the conditions for patients critical due to the lack of nurses in hospitals. According to the newspaper Donya-e-Eqtesad, Abbas Abadi, the Deputy for Nursing at the Ministry of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education, recently stated that there is a shortage of about 70,000 nursing staff across all sectors. This comes as the emigration of nurses from Iran continues, with up to 1,500 nurses leaving annually for Europe and Gulf countries. Donya-e-Eqtesad quoted Mohammad Mirzabigi, head of the Nursing System Organization, stating, "Daily, 5 to 6 nurses and monthly between 100 to 150 nurses emigrate from the country." An examination of international protocols shows that the nurse-to-bed ratio, which is one of the most important indicators of nursing human resources worldwide, averages about 2.5 nurses per hospital bed, but government statistics indicate that in Iran, this figure has dropped to less than half of the global standard. Mohammad Sharifi-Moghadam, Secretary-General of the Nursing House, identified livelihood as the most significant issue for nurses, stating, "The main reason for this level of interest among nurses to leave the country is the repulsion and problems within the health system." Furthermore, he noted that nurses' salaries in other countries range from $4,000 to $8,000, while in Iran, the minimum and maximum salaries for nurses are between 6 million to 12 million tomans, equating to a maximum of $300 per month. Donya-e-Eqtesad reported that Sharifi-Moghadam raised alarms about nurses joining other professions, stating, "Many nurses work in Snapp (a ride-hailing service) and driving has become their routine job. They even prefer to choose driving buses and working in bakeries." Meanwhile, Ebrahim Raisi, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, announced on September 5 the need for more "doctors and nurses" than currently employed in Iran. The head of the Nursing System Organization also mentioned that "many countries around the world" welcome Iranian nurses due to their "knowledge and abilities." On the other hand, based on a study published in June by the "Iran Migration Observatory," a subsidiary of Sharif University of Technology in collaboration with the Scientific and Technological Vice Presidency of the Islamic Republic, "73% of doctors and nurses" expressed a desire to emigrate due to "the country's problems" and "economic conditions." Mansour Jafari-Namin, head of the Supreme Council of the Medical System Organization, stated on August 30 that they are "unable to provide statistics on the emigration" of doctors, adding that overall, the emigration statistics for doctors are "worrisome and on the rise," with the number of emigrating "specialist and subspecialist doctors" surpassing that of general practitioners. The intensifying wave of emigration among elites and specialists in certain fields has become so significant that it has even drawn attention in some governmental institutions. This issue has been discussed in recent years. For instance, on November 3, 2021, Hossein Ali Shahriari, head of the Health and Treatment Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, expressed concern in a letter to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, about the "decrease in the number of specialized treatment staff" alongside the "increase in requests for doctors to emigrate abroad." In response, the leader of the Islamic Republic criticized the "trend of elite emigration" on November 26 of the same year, characterizing some individuals in universities as "elements" that, according to him, discourage youth about the future and encourage them to "leave the country." The slogan "We won't leave until we get our rights" was heard during a gathering of hospital nurses in Isfahan. The assistant to Ali Khamenei "in military affairs" deemed the emigration of "specialist doctors" as "unacceptable." The selection process of the Islamic Republic has tightened; disqualifications in the Nursing System elections. The crisis of doctor shortages in Iran; Raisi told emigrant doctors: there is an opportunity for a "dignified job." Eighty percent of top scorers in the university entrance exam have left Iran; this year's top scorers are also seeking to emigrate.