Hungary faces critical shortage of pediatricians

Hungary is facing a significant shortage of pediatricians, a trend that is increasingly affecting major urban areas like Budapest. According to 2025 data from the Central Statistical Office, the number of general pediatricians in the country has fallen to 1,205, down from 1,571 in 2005.

As the number of doctors decreases, the workload per physician is rising. In 2005, each doctor was responsible for 939 children, whereas by 2025, that number has grown to 1,134. In Budapest specifically, the number of pediatricians dropped from 348 in 2000 to 256 in 2025, representing a decline of over 26 percent.

The crisis is particularly acute in the Zugló district, where the long-term operation of five practices is at risk, potentially affecting the care of approximately 2,500 children. To combat these vacancies, the National Health Insurance Fund Management is planning to offer relocation subsidies in 2026 to attract doctors to unfilled practices.