Tajikistan’s healthcare institutions lack 1,100 doctors, Health Ministry says

Tajikistan's healthcare institutions are grappling with a significant shortage of 1,100 doctors, according to the First Deputy Minister of Health and Social Protection, Salomuddin Yusufi. The deficit is most pronounced in Khatlon province, which requires 323 doctors, followed by Sughd province with a need for 297 doctors.

Districts subordinate to the central government are short of 263 doctors, while republican medical institutions need 78 more. The Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region requires 22 doctors, and medical institutions under other ministries and agencies need 117. The most critical shortages are in specialized fields such as family medicine, psychiatry, and phthisiatry, which deals with tuberculosis.

Adding to the challenge, a notable number of medical professionals have emigrated. In the first half of 2026, 16 doctors and 148 specialists with secondary medical education left the country. This follows a trend from 2025, when 51 doctors and 266 mid-level medical workers departed.

Despite these departures, the number of employed healthcare professionals has seen a slight increase. As of the first half of 2026, Tajikistan employed 22,763 doctors and 65,496 specialists with secondary medical education, representing a 2.7% and 2.6% rise, respectively, compared to the previous year. The staffing level for doctors is reported at 95.7%, while mid-level medical personnel have reached 100% staffing. However, the number of certified specialists with secondary medical education decreased significantly.

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Healthcare institutions in Tajikistan are short of 1,100 doctors.