WHO: Nearly one in four doctors worldwide is older than 55

WHO released the first annual National health workforce accounts: health workforce levels and trends 2026 report. Over two decades, global density of doctors, nursing and midwifery personnel, dentists and pharmacists rose 52%, from 44.8 to 67.9 per 10,000 people, and the world now has more than 70 million health and care workers. Yet the latest available data from 122 countries show nearly one in four doctors is older than 55 on average, rising to almost one in three in high-income countries. Population ageing raises demand at the same time, the global workforce shortage is projected at 11.1 million by 2030 and 67 countries will lack enough workers to maintain population health needs. Doctor density is 13 times higher in Europe than Africa, showing that more training alone does not solve distribution, retention and succession.