Many nurses in Pakistan are leaving the country to find better pay, safer working conditions, and more professional growth opportunities abroad. This trend is raising serious concerns about Pakistan’s already struggling healthcare system.
According to a recent report by the British newspaper Asian Lite, Pakistan, with a population of over 240 million, needs around 700,000 nurses to meet the country’s healthcare needs. But as of 2020, only about 116,659 nurses were registered in Pakistan. That’s a huge shortfall, especially in a growing population, making the situation even more alarming.
The report highlights that Pakistani nurses make up about 5.8% of the country’s highly educated workforce that left Pakistan in 2024. While many developing countries see about 15% of their nurses migrate annually to wealthier nations, Pakistan’s numbers are jumping even faster. Between 2019 and 2024, the number of Pakistani nurses leaving the country increased at a staggering rate of 54.2% each year.
In 2024 alone, a record 727,381 professionals, including many nurses, left Pakistan in search of better opportunities. The trend continues into 2025, with over 336,442 professionals leaving by mid-year, many from the medical and nursing sectors.
The shortage of nurses is hitting Pakistan’s healthcare hard. The World Health Organization recommends at least three nurses for every doctor. But in Pakistan, there are only about 0.5 nurses for every doctor—one of the lowest ratios in South Asia. This severe shortage is overburdening doctors, making hospitals more chaotic, and putting patients at greater risk.
The situation is worsened by the fact that around 30,000 to 40,000 registered doctors are not practicing. Many doctors have left the country, are waiting for better opportunities abroad, or have become disillusioned with the healthcare system.
The rising nurse migration and doctor shortages pose serious challenges for Pakistan’s health services. Without urgent measures, the country’s healthcare infrastructure could face even greater difficulties in the future.
