Mexico faces severe doctor shortage in Chiapas and Tamaulipas

In Chiapas, more than 63% of residents lack access to basic health services, according to the latest INEGI multidimensional poverty measurement. The state has only 1.3 physicians per 1,000 inhabitants and 0.4 hospital beds per 1,000, far below national averages. Between 2016 and 2024, the share of the population without medical coverage rose from 15% to 63%, forcing many families to pay out‑of‑pocket for private care.

Meanwhile, in Tamaulipas specialists are leaving public hospitals for the private sector, worsening a nationwide deficit of over 70,000 specialist positions. Low salaries, inadequate equipment, excessive workloads and limited career growth drive the migration. Public hospitals report unfilled vacancies in internal medicine, anesthesiology, pediatrics, obstetrics, surgery and other critical services, despite recent recruitment drives. The exodus of specialists threatens the capacity of public health facilities across the state and the country.