GENEVA, September 18 (Reuters) – The World Health Organization warned on Friday of a global shortage of medical professionals worldwide in the 2030s, as a quarter of doctors are expected to retire in the coming decade.
“In many countries, both the population and the health professionals are aging at the same time. This could worsen the global shortage projected to 11.1 million health workers by 2030,” the WHO said in a statement accompanying a major report on workforce trends, based on data from more than 100 countries.
By 2030, it is estimated that 67 countries will not have enough staff to maintain the standards of medical care they currently enjoy, the report stated.
To maintain the current ratio of health professionals to the population, an additional 832,000 health professionals are needed, which could increase reliance on foreign health workers in the poorer countries, according to the report, with potential impact on healthcare standards in those regions.
High-income countries, including many in Europe, are expected to be the most affected, as they have a higher proportion of older health professionals, according to the report. In those countries, one in three doctors will retire in the next ten years, the report states.
(Reporting by Emma Farge)
