Pediatrician in Czech Republic retires without successor

Pediatrician Zdeňka Bartáková, 80, is retiring from her practice in Planá u Mariánských Lázní at the end of the year after failing to find a successor. While her husband, František Barták, has secured a successor for his Tachov practice, Bartáková’s patients face uncertainty due to the regional shortage of practitioners.

The only available solution is for patients to transfer to the practice of Muhsin Al-Kannany, a 67-year-old pediatrician already working in Stříbro, Bor, and Planá. Al-Kannany, a Czech citizen originally from Iraq, has previously faced professional challenges, including a period of imprisonment for driving under the influence. He has expressed readiness to take on Bartáková’s patients, noting that his nursing staff can assist with the increased workload.

The situation highlights a long-standing tension regarding the shortage of both adult and pediatric doctors in the Tachov region.