It is not that uncommon nowadays to have difficulties when it comes to

getting an appointment with his GP, or even with some specialists such as
ophthalmologists. This shortage of healthcare workers is truly a growing issue
and furthermore, a global one. How short of healthcare workers are we really?
And how come were growing short on such professionals who are far from being
underpaid?

Industrialized countries dont really suffer from shortage in numbers but

rather from the distribution of doctors and mainly of GPs. Decreased numbers in
some areas particularly rural ones lead to the emergence of medical deserts. For
instance, in France, regions such as Picardie have only 239 doctors per 100,000
while the national average reaches 340. It doesnt get any better in its neighbor:
some English GPs are responsible for a whopping 9000 patients while the
average is 1600!
Actually, the whole world unequally experiences a shortage as well, but it
is close to a crisis in the less advanced countries. According to the WHO, 57
countries, 36 of which are in sub-Saharan Africa, have fewer than 2.3 nurses,
doctors and midwives for every 1000 people. Either way the outcome is the
same: fewer personnel leads to low quality healthcare. The situation is therefore
alarming, but why is there such shortage?
The lack in numbers in less advanced countries is essentially related to the
fact that around 23% of the doctors migrate to OECD countries seeking better
working conditions. This immigration doesnt fill the need in these countries
though. On another hand, this deficit affects mostly the figures of primary
healthcare workers, thats partly due to the fact that students prefer specializing
in a hospital in some big city over to becoming small community GPs, the
relatively low pay and isolation being the main contributing factors to this
equation.
Moreover, the population is aging very quickly, thus tremendously
increasing the work load of healthcare providers, primarily those on the front
line, GPs. Ironically, these are also aging and many are retiring, a condition
exacerbated by early retirements due to the overwhelming affluence of patients.
Finally, feminization of the profession has also its impact, women prefer working
only part-time in order to dedicate some time to their families.

In conclusion, longer lifespan and significantly lower pay for GPs are
definitely the most important factors responsible for the observed health workers
shortage. It is real and may be far from the crisis point in developed countries,
but is certainly a growing matter that urges for quick intervention.