Hungary faces doctor shortage as active physicians decline in 2025

A recent analysis by Hungary's Central Statistical Office shows that the number of actively practicing doctors fell by 2.3% in 2025, leaving 42,117 physicians nationwide. More than half of the workforce is middle‑aged (35‑64), and the gender balance remains skewed toward women, who account for roughly 1.5 times more doctors than men. Regional disparities persist, with Budapest and several counties having over 63 doctors per 10,000 residents, while Nógrád County has just 21.

The Hungarian Medical Chamber (MOK) has been active on multiple fronts. In late June and July the chamber’s vice‑president Meglécz Katalin laid wreaths at Semmelweis statues, attended Ministry of Health celebrations, and participated in meetings on end‑of‑life decisions, health‑digitisation with State Secretary Becságh Péter, and cooperation with the National Health Insurance Fund Management (NEAK). The chamber also met the newly appointed national hospital director and senior officials of the National Institute of Health and Pharmacy.

Both the statistical decline and the chamber’s ongoing discussions highlight growing concerns about physician shortages, longer waiting times for appointments and surgeries, and the need for systemic reforms in Hungary’s healthcare system.