Algeria doctor deaths spotlight France’s medical staffing reliance
The deaths of two resident doctors in Algeria from overwork have triggered protests that underline a deeper crisis: the emigration of medics that French hospitals heavily depend on to function.
Two resident doctors in Algeria have died in quick succession, sparking outrage across the country's medical sector. A neurosurgeon suffered a fatal heart attack after a 24-hour shift, and days later, an anaesthesiologist died in conditions colleagues attributed to exhaustion. The health ministry's denial that the second doctor was working an overnight shift has only deepened the anger.
The National Union of General Public Health Practitioners blamed the deaths on years of chronic understaffing and inadequate conditions. Resident doctors carry a heavy workload, sometimes performing ten on-call shifts a month while being paid for six. Union representatives are demanding an overhaul of on-call rules dating back to 2013, increased shift allowances, and a minimum salary of 140,000 Algerian dinars.
Authorities have largely dismissed the protests. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune recently claimed Algeria has the best health system in Africa. While the World Health Organization puts Algeria's doctor ratio at 17 per 10,000 people—leading among large African nations—it remains less than half the ratio in France. Earlier this year, a resident doctors' association leader was imprisoned on charges of spreading fake news before being released on appeal.
The drain to Europe
For European neighbours, particularly France, Algeria's domestic crisis has direct consequences. Algeria is now the largest single source of non-EU trained doctors working in French hospitals. As of January 2025, 38.8% of the 19,154 doctors practising in France under the PADHUE system held Algerian qualifications, far outpacing Tunisia and Syria.
Historical and linguistic ties make the migration pathway straightforward, but French bureaucracy creates a steep penalty. Algerian doctors in France face a lengthy and financially punishing recognition process. One doctor reported earning around €1,400 net per month—roughly the French minimum wage—while working every day of the week and receiving just 25 days of annual leave. By contrast, a French-trained specialist earns at least four times that amount.
Emmanuel Macron has criticised this recognition system for slowing the integration of experienced foreign doctors. Yet French hospitals remain deeply dependent on them to fill gaps in under-served regions and specialisations. Unless Algeria's working conditions improve, the exodus of trained professionals is likely to accelerate, tightening the staffing squeeze on a French healthcare system that cannot afford to lose them.
