Behind the Claims of Progress Lies a Crisis of Burnout, Gender Discrimination, and Mass Emigration in Iran’s Healthcare System
Government Claims Drop in Nurse Emigration Amid Crisis
According to state-run media, the Iranian Health Minister, Mohammadreza Zafarghandi, claimed during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, May 28, that there has been a “significant reduction in the emigration of nurses, doctors, and specialists in the second half of the year 1403 (Persian calendar), compared to the same period in 1402.” (Fararu – May 28, 2025)
The next day, Deputy Minister of Nursing, Abbas Ebadi, attributed this alleged achievement to “hope-building and supportive policies.” (YJC – May 29, 2025)
Ebadi asserted that, “According to the Nursing Organization, only around 2,000 nurses applied for emigration certificates in 1402, but that number has dropped to under 1,300 in 1403.” He further stated that this decline has been “especially noticeable in the latter half of 1403, where upward trends in nurse migration have nearly stopped.”
Experts Call Government Statistics ‘Unbelievable and Misleading’
These claims have sparked a wave of disbelief, even among officials and analysts within the regime itself. Mohammad Sharifi-Moqaddam, Secretary-General of the House of Nurses, criticized the numbers:
“The Ministry of Health and the Nursing Organization are jointly presenting statistics to deflect from the real problems nurses are facing. They want to paint a picture that nurses are now satisfied and no longer migrating—when this is clearly not true.” (Khabar Online – June 6, 2025)
Sharifi-Moqaddam continued:
“When we stated that at least 3,000 Iranian nurses had emigrated, officials challenged our data—yet we relied on multiple credible sources. The fact is that nurse migration is not channeled through one official pipeline. There is no unified registry, so no one can accurately claim a ‘35% drop.’ We ask: how did they come up with this figure?”
Health policy expert Seyed Mohammad Alavi reinforced this skepticism:
“Assessing nurse migration solely based on the number of certificates issued by the Nursing Organization lacks any scientific validity. It risks grossly misrepresenting a complex and multifaceted issue.” (Hamshahri Online – May 31, 2025)
According to international data from destination countries, Iranian nurse migration between 2020 and 2024 has not decreased—in fact, it has grown faster than regional averages.
The Harsh Reality Behind the White Uniforms
Iranian nurses are increasingly being forced out of the profession they once served with courage and sacrifice. Chronic structural crises and the regime’s neglect of their demands have led many to quit or seek refuge abroad.
Women make up more than 80% of Iran’s nursing workforce. Not only do they endure grueling shifts and emotional exhaustion, but they also face systemic gender discrimination. These women often shoulder both professional and domestic caregiving roles, stretching their physical and emotional limits.
Delayed bonuses, temporary 89-day contracts, salaries rarely exceeding 10–15 million tomans (approx. $150–250/month), and a lack of job security have compelled many to abandon their posts—despite deep professional commitment.
Meanwhile, in destination countries, these same nurses are welcomed with dignity, fair compensation, and safer working conditions.
Estimates suggest that 50,000 to 60,000 nurses in Iran are either unemployed, have left their jobs, or are unwilling to return to the profession. Every year, 1,800 to 2,000 nurses walk away from nursing altogether. This trend illustrates that retaining existing personnel is becoming a monumental challenge.
A Healthcare System in Freefall
Reports from recent months have highlighted dire shortages and worsening conditions in public hospitals—conditions that now go beyond “staffing issues” and into full-blown crisis. (Khabar Online – June 6, 2025)
Fatemeh Khodabakhshi, head of the Izeh Nursing Board, described the situation:
“In Izeh, we sometimes have only one nurse per 10 to 15 patients per shift. In some cases, two or three nurses care for 25 to 30 patients… More than 20 nurses have left with no replacements.” (Salamat News – June 6)
In Khuzestan, Alireza Gachkouban, head of the Ahvaz Nursing Board, called the situation catastrophic:
“The nurse-to-bed ratio is just 0.63—far below safe standards. The Ministry had promised to recruit 2,700 new nurses in 2023, but not a single one has been hired.” (Khabar Online – June 6, 2025)
In some wards, two nurses are responsible for 24 beds—12 patients per nurse—an unmanageable and dangerous burden.
Manufactured Stats, Real Suffering
Sharifi-Moqaddam slammed the Ministry’s narrative:
“These statistics are fabricated to create a false sense of satisfaction among nurses and to stage imaginary achievements. Authorities are pretending that conditions have improved—when in reality, nurses are facing even worse hardships than before.” (Jahan-e Sanat – June 2, 2025)
He accused the Ministry of turning to legal intimidation rather than support:
“There are no real support programs. Instead, we see more surveillance, more pressure, and even disciplinary cases being opened against nurses. Their contracts are being abruptly changed, bonuses cut, and legal threats used to suppress dissent.”
Ahmad Najatian, head of the Nursing Organization, offered a grim warning:
“Despite training 12,000 nurses annually over the last four years, fewer than 10,000 have been hired. Meanwhile, about 1,800 nurses leave the system every year—many migrating abroad.” (Khabar Online – June 6, 2025)
Even state media now admit the healthcare system, especially in nursing, is under unprecedented stress. Without urgent strategies to recruit, retain, and truly support nurses, public hospitals will continue to deteriorate—and Iran’s public health itself will hang in the balance.
