Albania is facing a shortage of healthcare staff. According to a recent World Health Organization (WHO) report on “Challenges of Developing Countries in the Health Workforce,” the emigration of doctors is becoming the main threat to this vital sector.

WHO health experts estimate that there are currently around 6,900 licensed doctors in Albania, about 80% of whom work in the public sector.

The number of doctors stands at approximately 220 per 100,000 inhabitants, remaining below the average of countries in Southeast Europe and the European region overall.

The report notes that, on average, 150 doctors plan to leave Albania each year, further deepening the shortage.

According to WHO data, the stock of trained Albanian doctors working in 38 foreign countries reached 1,060 in 2020.
Germany alone recorded 988 Albanian doctors in 2021, compared to 149 in 2013 — an increase of more than sixfold.

It is also observed that the number of Certificates of Professional Good Standing — a mandatory document for practicing medicine abroad, issued by the Order of Physicians of Albania — has steadily increased from 2013 to 2023.

Meanwhile, internal migration toward Tirana has worsened the staff shortages in peripheral hospitals and rural health centers, putting additional strain on medical services in remote areas.