A recent revelation by head of Egypt’s Medical Syndicate Osama Abdel-Hayhas stirred national concern: over 7,000 young Egyptian doctors left the country over a single year.
The statement, made during an interview on MBC Masr’s Al-Hekaya programme, has reignited the debate over Egypt’s worsening medical brain drain.
“We cannot prevent doctors from leaving,” Abdel-Hay said.“Freedom of movement is a basic right. But the reasons they’re leaving are obvious—low salaries, deteriorating work conditions, and far better opportunities elsewhere.”
The numbers portray a worrying picture.
According to data by the Egyptian Medical Syndicate, Out of 212,835 registered doctors licensed to practice in Egypt, only around 82,000 are actively working in the country’s healthcare system — just 38%. This means a staggering 62% of Egypt’s licensed doctors are absent from the public system, many of them now employed overseas or on extended leave.
With this massive shortfall, Egypt’s doctor-to-population ratio stands at 1:1,162 — far below the World Health Organization’s recommended 1:434. The result is overburdened hospitals, long waiting times, and diminishing quality of care.
While low wages are major push factors, doctors say the problem runs deeper.
“It’s the working environment,” Dr Abdel Rahman Moustafa, a member of the Medical Syndicate Council, said.
“Doctors are facing a lack basic supplies, long hours, and even physical assaults by patients’ families,” he added.
Moustafa also highlighted the recent agreement between Egypt’s educational hospitals and Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health, enabling secondment of Egyptian specialists in high-demand fields like intensive care and neonatology.
“These deals have existed for years. But they clearly contribute to the local talent drain,” he said.
“This brain drain is not just a loss of individuals—it’s a loss of experience, mentorship, and the future of the Egyptian healthcare system,” he added.
“In many cases, young doctors don’t even wait to experience the challenges of Egypt’s healthcare system. Now, many medical students prepare to take foreign qualification exams while still in university,” Moustafa said “They graduate ready to leave.”
Recognising the crisis, Egyptian authorities have begun implementing measures to slow the tide.
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi recently acknowledged that doctors’ salaries are “not suitable”, and instructed the government to increase medical school admissions and allocate more funds to retain medical staff.
In March last year, the government rolled out a new social protection package targeting medical professionals and nurses. It included an additional LE4.5 billion to increase risk allowances and night-shift pay as well as LE6 billion to hire 120,000 new healthcare workers.
Initiatives to improve training and modernise hospitals are also in the pipeline. Yet, for many doctors, these changes are too slow and, sometimes, too little.
Ehab Ahmed, a 35-year-old pediatrician, views that Egypt must go beyond financial incentives. “Creating a safe, respectful, and professionally rewarding environment is crucial,” he said.
“ Investing in continued medical education, fair promotion systems, and research opportunities could help turn the tide,” Ahmed added,
Diaspora doctors could also be part of the solution, he suggested.
“Programmes that connect Egyptian doctors abroad with local training initiatives or temporary rotations could help transfer knowledge without full-time relocation,” Ahmed said.
