Number of Medical Staff against Background of Reduced Morbidity

In 2014 in Azerbaijan 1 million 853 thousand people suffered from various diseases, which is 6.5% more than in the previous year. It is reported by the State Statistics Committee.

Last year, the country's level of morbidity was 1,968 for every 10,000 people, which is 5.2% higher than the figure for 2013. The most common are respiratory diseases (787.2 per 10 thousand people), gastrointestinal tract (161.8) and the cardiovascular system (149.2).

According to the SSC, in 2014, 169,811 citizens of Azerbaijan went for treatment abroad, spending about 52 million AZN on that, according to official estimates. Azerbaijanis mainly go to Iran for treatment. Last year, the clinics of that country were visited by 96.6 thousand our fellow citizens for the restoration of their health.

Last year the total number of doctors in Azerbaijan increased by 400 and reached 32.8 thousand. However, at the end of 2014, there were 34.6 doctors per 10 thousand residents of the country, which is 0.1 points less than at the beginning of the past year.

The number of employees of nursing staff (56.1 thousand people) decreased 800 people in 2014.

Last year the number of hospitals increased 13 units and reached 566. For comparison, there were 776 hospitals in Azerbaijan in 1993.

In 2014 two new outpatient clinics were put into operation in 2014. As of January 1 this year, the country had 1,746 dispensaries and outpatient clinics, about as much as in 1993 (1,749).

Health is the most poorly paid sphere of activity in Azerbaijan. Officially medicine in the country is free of charge. However, treatment and surgical operations have their informal prices.

At the end of 2013 the average monthly salary of health workers amounted to 181.6 manat, which is 2.5 times lower than the average monthly wage in the country. ------08B