German GPs warn of healthcare failures due to staff shortages

BERLIN, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Germany's Association of General Practitioners (GPs) on Wednesday warned that staff shortages will lead to "gaps in healthcare that cannot be filled in the future."

Almost 5,000 doctor posts in the country are currently vacant, the association said. Meanwhile, GPs are aging, with the share of GPs over the age of 60 currently above 35 percent.