A recent survey conducted by Gallup Pakistan and PRIDE reveals a concerning unemployment rate of up to 35% among women doctors in Pakistan. The survey, which analyzed data from the Labour Force Survey of 2020-21 conducted by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, sheds light on the challenges faced by women medical graduates in the country.
The research collected data from 99,900 households across the country, providing district-level representative results for the first time. The findings indicate a shortage of qualified doctors in Pakistan, with over 36,000 women doctors either unemployed or choosing not to participate in the labor force due to various reasons.
The survey highlights that out of 104,974 women medical graduates in Pakistan, only 65% (68,209) are employed at private or state-owned medical facilities. Shockingly, 14.9% (15,619) of women doctors remain jobless, while 20.1% (21,146) are out of the labor force.
Pakistan Medical and Dental Council data reveals that the country has produced approximately 200,000 doctors since its inception in 1947, with half of them being women. However, the Bureau of Emigration records show that around 30,000 doctors have left Pakistan since 1970, with an average of almost 1,000 doctors migrating annually.
Notably, many of these doctors have graduated from public universities where the government provides subsidized education. It is disheartening to see taxpayers’ money being wasted when an average private university charges medical students more than Rs5 million, while the government delivers the same education for less than Rs1 million.
The survey also highlights the phenomenon of “doctor brides,” indicating that many families prefer their daughters to pursue medical education to enhance their prospects of finding suitable matches for marriage.
Furthermore, the survey reveals that about 28% of medical graduates reside in rural areas, while 72% are in urban areas. In rural regions, more than half (52%) of medical graduates are employed, with 31% being jobless. The proportion of medical graduates who choose to stay out of the labor force in rural areas (17%) is lower than the national average of 20%.
On the other hand, the employment opportunities for women graduates are significantly higher (78%) in urban areas compared to 22% in rural areas. However, the proportion of jobless graduates is higher (57%) in rural areas compared to 43% in cities.
The survey emphasizes the need for targeted policy efforts to improve employment opportunities for medical graduates, especially in rural areas with higher unemployment rates.
In conclusion, the survey highlights the alarming unemployment rate among women doctors in Pakistan and calls for concerted efforts to support and address the challenges faced by these talented professionals.