In this article, we will look at the 5 countries that need doctors in 2023. We have also discussed the global physician shortages in another article. If you are interested in reading about that along with a more extensive list, head straight to the 18 Countries That Need Doctors in 2023.
5. Mozambique
Physicians per 1000: 0.08
Apart from the shortages, Mozambique’s healthcare system is also under severe challenges which is worsened by strikes among health workers and critical shortages of essential medical supplies. Moreover, the National Health Service is plagued by inadequate funding and governance issues, and hence, faces recurrent stockouts of medicines and a scarcity of health personnel. With an already elevated maternal mortality ratio of 430 per 100,000, Mozambique’s healthcare crisis demands the urgent need for increased investment.
4. Togo
Physicians per 1000: 0.08
Togo has one of West Africa’s poorest healthcare systems with challenges of access and a dire lack of medical resources. Public hospitals operate in disarray as there are reports of patients dying without treatment due to shortages of beds, underequipped surgery rooms, and absent or inadequately trained staff. The Sylvanus Olympio Hospital, Togo’s largest, lacks basic first-aid equipment, and the emergency rooms are ill-equipped. Togo’s per-capita health spending in 2014 was only $72, leading to deadly consequences for treatable illnesses.
3. Papua New Guinea
Physicians per 1000: 0.07
Papua New Guinea (PNG) faces a severe shortage of doctors, with only 50 to 60 new medical graduates annually, while the population grows at a rate of 2.7 to 3%. The doctor-to-population ratio is now estimated at 1:14,300. Attrition rates from the public health system result from doctors seeking better opportunities in the private sector or abroad.
2. Benin
Physicians per 1000: 0.06
Benin faces major healthcare challenges with only 0.06 physicians per 1000 people, resulting in limited access to medical professionals. The government allocates just 3.3% of GDP to healthcare, leading to a high infant mortality rate of 52.8 deaths per 1000 births. Diseases such as HIV/AIDS affect approximately 1% of adults, causing 2% of annual deaths. Rural areas lack essential healthcare infrastructure, exacerbating disparities between urban and rural health outcomes. Despite progress, malnutrition affects 45% of children under five. Benin is one of the countries with major healthcare issues.
1. Chad
Physicians per 1000: 0.05
Chad has a critical healthcare crisis marked by a physician density of 0.05 per 1,000 population and a nurse and midwife density of 0.31 per 1,000 population. The UNHCR reports 615,681 people of concern, including 446,091 refugees, stressing the strained healthcare system. With a life expectancy of 53 years for men and 55 years for women, Chad ranks 187 out of 189 countries on the Human Development Index. The Human Rights Measurement Initiative reveals major gaps in fulfilling the right to health, particularly in reproductive health, where only 9.1% of expectations are met. Addressing these challenges urgently requires an influx of doctors and resources. Chad is the country that need doctors the most in 2023.
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