Medical Chamber head says health sector suffering from brain drain

More than 2,500 foreign nationals work as doctors in the Czech Republic, Czech Medical Chamber head Milan Kubek said on Monday, pointing out the number was five times higher than in 1989. The head of the chamber expressed the opinion that doctors from abroad were not always as qualified as their Czech counterparts. Last week the chamber called on the government to prepare an emergency action plan to help save the Czech health sector, which suffers a lack of staff in many hospitals. Last year, 209 doctors found work abroad immediately after completing their studies, while 357 asked the Medical Chamber for documentation required to work abroad. In all, Kubek said, 400 Czech doctors left last year for work in English- or German-speaking countries. Foreign nationals working in the Czech health sector include doctors from Slovakia, Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan. The Czech Medical Chamber has been pushing for significant wage increases to help stem the flow of doctors to better paid jobs elsewhere.

Author: Jan Velinger