Sverdlovsk battles doctor shortage with new housing and hospital mergers
The Sverdlovsk region is struggling with a shortage of doctors, with estimates suggesting between 1,200 and 1,500 vacancies remain in 2025. Rural areas such as Severouralsk, Krasnoturinsk, and Karpinsk, as well as remote northern valleys, are the hardest hit. Efforts to address the crisis include new housing projects and hospital mergers to maintain medical services.
To tackle the shortage, the regional government has approved plans for new housing developments aimed at attracting healthcare and education workers. By late 2027, Severouralsk and Serov districts will each receive a five-story, 20-unit residential building, fully funded by the regional budget. The first of these projects will begin in Artyomovsky, where a two-hectare site has already been allocated for a cluster of low-rise apartment blocks.
One of the new buildings in Artyomovsky will specifically house 20 units for medical and teaching staff. Meanwhile, specialists from the regional capital will rotate into underserved areas to ensure continuous care for local residents. In another move to stabilise services, Sverdlovsk Regional Clinical Hospital No. 1 will merge with facilities in Ivdel and Pelym by May 2026. The decision follows persistent staffing shortages, forcing consolidation to keep essential healthcare running.
The region's doctor shortage has eased slightly over the past year but still exceeds 2,000 unfilled positions. New housing incentives and hospital restructuring aim to improve access to care, particularly in rural and remote communities. Officials expect the measures to help retain and attract medical professionals over the coming years.
