Severe Doctor Shortages Persist Across Saxony and Lower Saxony

Regions in Germany face critical gaps in healthcare coverage, with efforts underway to expand medical education and improve rural access.

Saxony faces significant shortages in healthcare professionals, with some areas reporting a physician coverage rate below 70%.
Key gaps are seen in general practitioners, child psychiatrists, and nuclear medicine specialists, with hundreds of positions remaining unfilled.
Lower Saxony has introduced a new ten-point plan, including increased medical school slots and rural practice incentives, to address its shortage of 577 general practitioners.
Proposed solutions include mentoring programs, financial support for rural practitioners, and easing access for foreign-trained doctors.
The aging population and workforce, combined with increasing healthcare demands, are exacerbating the crisis despite ongoing policy interventions.