The fallout of Bashar al-Assad’s ouster in Syria is raising concerns in Germany, where the health sector could be upended if the thousands of Syrian doctors working there decided to return home.

Germany became a leading destination for Syrian refugees over the past decade, and some politicians were quick to start talking about encouraging the return of at least some after rebels took Damascus earlier this month.

Others noted that the exiles include many well-qualified people and said their departure would hurt Germany – particularly that of doctors and other medical staff.

“Whole areas in the health sector would fall away if all the Syrians who work here now were to leave our country,” Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said last week.