Doctors are leaving their jobs: The Ministry of Health has recognized the staffing crisis in the healthcare system
17 March 17:21
ANALYSIS
Lack of family doctors, anesthesiologists, psychiatrists and traumatologists – the Ministry of Health has officially confirmed the staffing crisis in medicine. More than 4,700 vacancies in medical institutions are open across the country. Hundreds of doctors are forced to leave their jobs because of the war, and the situation in the frontline regions is critical. Salaries near the front line are up to UAH 28 thousand, but is this enough to retain doctors? The Department of Medical Services of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine (MoH) provided answers to the request of Komersant ukrayinskyi regarding the situation with medical personnel in the country. In particular, we received answers about the work of doctors in hospitals and at the front.
Shortage of medical personnel: what specialists are in short supply
Acting Director of the Medical Services Department of the Ministry of Health Yevhen Honchar said:
“There is a shortage of general practitioners in Ukraine – family doctors, orthopedic traumatologists, anesthesiologists, psychiatrists, and epidemiologists. There is also a shortage of junior specialists with medical education. Most of all, healthcare workers are lacking in rural areas.”
According to him, as of the end of January 2025, 4,746 vacancies from 263 healthcare institutions were posted on the Unified Web Portal of Vacancies of State and Municipal Healthcare Institutions. Of these, 1,872 are medical positions, and 1,620 are nursing positions.
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Displacement of doctors due to the war
The Ministry of Health has also reported a significant displacement of doctors from the eastern regions to the west of the country due to Russian aggression. This led to an imbalance in staffing:
“The highest staffing rate as of the beginning of 2024 was in Ivano-Frankivsk region – 99.75%, Lviv region – 96.81%, Chernivtsi region – 95.81%. The lowest – in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Kirovohrad regions, where this figure ranges from 53.64% to 69.87%.”
Yevhen Honchar
How doctors’ salaries are calculated
The Ministry of Health explains that doctors’ salaries are regulated by several regulations, including the Cabinet of Ministers’ Resolution No. 1298 and Order No. 308. The majority of healthcare institutions in Ukraine receive funding through the National Health Service of Ukraine (NHSU) under the medical guarantees program.
According to the Cabinet of Ministers’ Resolution No. 28, the minimum salary for healthcare workers in state and municipal healthcare facilities is:
- uAH 20,000 for doctors;
- uAH 15,000 for interns;
- uAH 13,500 for other medical specialists.
Increased payments are provided for healthcare professionals working in the areas of active hostilities:
“In the territories of active hostilities, the minimum salary is at least UAH 28,000 for doctors and professionals, UAH 18,000 for specialists and UAH 9,000 for junior medical staff.”
Yevhen Honchar
In the areas of possible hostilities, the minimum salary in healthcare facilities is at least UAH 23 thousand for doctors and professionals, UAH 15.5 thousand for specialists, and UAH 8 thousand for junior medical staff.
The Ministry of Health emphasizes that these figures are minimal and may increase depending on the workload of specialists and the volume of medical care provided.
Thus, the situation with medical personnel in Ukraine remains difficult, especially in the regions affected by the war. At the same time, the government is trying to stimulate medical professionals through financial mechanisms and other support measures.
If the problem is not solved now, the country may face a collapse of the healthcare system, especially in the regions most affected by the war. However, there is no doubt that the doctors who continue to work are real heroes.
