Hungarian Nurses Demand Better Pay To Stop Exodus

Several thousand nurses demonstrated in central Budapest on July 31 to demand better pay, after a survey showed many of them are considering leaving Hungary for higher salaries elsewhere. Hundreds of them arrived from outside the capital and travelled hours to attend the rally. The Hungarian parliament passed a health-care bill in October that brought a substantial wage hike for doctors. The increase did not apply to nurses whose salaries have been raised only gradually since 2019. Around 400-500 nurses leave Hungary every year, according to the Chamber of Hungarian Health-Care Professionals. An online survey it published last month revealed that more than 1,000 nurses are contemplating leaving Hungary.