Iranian Nurses’ Exodus: A Crisis in Healthcare
Iran’s healthcare system is facing a critical challenge as nurses across the country engage in strikes and protests, demanding better working conditions and fair compensation. The ongoing demonstrations, which began on August 5 and continued until August 17, highlight the deep-rooted issues plaguing the nursing profession in Iran.
For months, nurses have been voicing their concerns over their legal status and inadequate nursing tariffs. The situation has become so dire that thousands of nurses are leaving Iran annually, prompting authorities to warn of potential patient fatalities due to severe staffing shortages.
The grievances of Iranian nurses are multifaceted. They protest against extended work shifts, low salaries, and mandatory overtime. These challenging conditions have contributed to a significant brain drain in Iran’s healthcare sector, with the country struggling to retain skilled medical professionals.
According to reports from union authorities and the nursing system, the emigration rate of Iranian nurses has seen a dramatic increase between 2021 and 2024. In 2021, an average of 100 to 150 nurses left the country monthly. This number rose to approximately 200 per month in 2022 and further escalated to 250 and 300 per month in 2023 and 2024, respectively. These statistics paint a grim picture of the future of Iran’s healthcare system.
Several factors contribute to this mass exodus:
- Economic Hardship: The primary driver of migration is the significant income disparity between Iran and destination countries. Nurses seek better economic prospects abroad.
- Poor Working Conditions: Understaffing, long hours, and high-stress environments push nurses to seek employment in countries offering better working conditions and more advanced facilities.
- Limited Career Advancement: Many Iranian nurses feel frustrated by the lack of opportunities for professional growth and advancement in their home country.
- Job Insecurity: Inadequate legal protections and job security in Iran contrast sharply with the more robust safeguards offered in other countries.
Mohammad Sharifi Moghadam, the secretary of the nursing home, described the situation as “very worrying.” He noted that while 12,000 nursing students graduate annually in Iran, only a small percentage find employment in the country. Many of those who do secure jobs eventually immigrate to Western countries, America, or the Persian Gulf region, taking their skills and experience with them.
The disparity in nurse-to-population ratios is stark. While Western countries boast 10 nurses per 1,000 people, Iran has only 1.6 nurses per 1,000. This shortage is exacerbated by the continuous outflow of skilled professionals.
Fereydoun Moradi, a member of the Supreme Council of the Nursing System, reported that between 150 and 200 nurses leave Iran monthly, despite the severe personnel shortage. This exodus has led to mass resignations in various hospitals across the country.
While these migrations offer opportunities for individual nurses to improve their professional status and quality of life, they are detrimental to Iran’s healthcare system. The Iranian regime, however, appears to be taking no significant measures to address this critical issue.
As protests continue and more nurses contemplate leaving, the future of Iran’s healthcare system hangs in the balance. Without meaningful reforms and improvements in working conditions, the country risks losing more of its vital healthcare workers, potentially leading to a full-blown healthcare crisis.
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