Russia Is Short Tens Of Thousands Of Doctors
6- 15.09.2026, 7:50
- 2,492
The situation is dire even in major cities.
The staffing crisis in Russia’s healthcare system has worsened. Medical facilities are short about 23,000 doctors and more than 63,000 mid-level medical professionals.
This was reported by reported by the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine.
According to intelligence reports, the situation is worst in the Volgograd, Rostov, and Astrakhan regions. There, there are only 1.7 resumes per doctor vacancy.
The problem is particularly acute among specialists in narrow fields. Russian clinics are short about 15% of the required number of orthodontists, as well as pediatric dentists, implantologists, and maxillofacial surgeons.
The shortage of specialists is not caused solely by a lack of practical experience among medical school graduates. Low wages are also cited as a factor, leading medical professionals to leave the profession.
Healthcare professionals are forced to work multiple jobs
The staffing shortage persists even in major Russian cities. For example, St. Petersburg officially reports 100% staffing of medical positions. At the same time, there is an acute need for primary care physicians, pediatricians, and emergency medical technicians.
As the North-West Regional Health Administration (SZRU) notes, the formal staffing rates are achieved because medical professionals are forced to work 1.5 to 2 full-time positions to compensate for the shortage of staff.
The problem also affects certain medical specialties, which are effectively disappearing from the Russian Federation’s public healthcare system.
For example, in 2024, only 12 osteopathic physicians were employed in Russia’s public hospitals. Moreover, there were none in 80 regions of the country. Additionally, there were about 200 manual therapists working in the public healthcare system, and their numbers have declined by 13.3% in recent years.
At the same time, qualified medical personnel are moving from the public healthcare system to the private sector or leaving the profession altogether.
The labor shortage in Russia is not limited to healthcare. According to labor market analysts, labor shortages also affect retail, construction, and transportation, creating systemic problems for the Russian Federation’s social and economic sectors.
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