The number of Azerbaijani doctors working in Germany has tripled over the past seven years. According to the German Medical Association, while 603 Azerbaijani doctors were working in the country’s medical institutions in 2017, by 2024 that number had reached 1,996.
After the COVID-19 pandemic, discussions about doctor shortages in Azerbaijan, particularly in the regions, began to grow. The audit report prepared by the Chamber of Accounts even noted that in 2022, half of the 144 physician-epidemiologist positions across 74 epidemiological centers throughout the country were vacant.
It should be noted that in 2021, by decision of the State Agency for Compulsory Medical Insurance, a state program was developed under TABIB to prevent staff shortages in medical institutions. According to the program, each year 100 doctors who had completed their education in the European Union, the United States, and Turkey — 60 of them surgeons and radiologists, and 40 therapists and pediatricians — were to be provided with employment in Azerbaijan.
In line with the program, incentive supplements were added to the salaries of doctors who had studied abroad to encourage them to return to the country. Additional increases of no less than 6,500 manats for surgeons and radiologists, and no less than 5,000 manats for therapists and pediatricians were established.
However, statistics show that the number of Azerbaijani doctors starting work in Germany alone increases by 200–300 people each year. This is several times higher than the number of doctors the Azerbaijani government aimed to bring back.
According to official data for 2024, there were 33,600 doctors in Azerbaijan. There are 33 doctors per 10,000 population. However, the Ministry of Health has not disclosed staffing needs by individual specialties across medical institutions throughout the country.