Lok Sabha Question No. 491 (STARRED), answered on 2017-04-07
Subject: Healthcare Infrastructure
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: RABINDRA KUMAR JENA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 491 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 7 TH APRIL, 2017 HEALTHCARE INFRASTRU CTURE

## *491. SHRI RABINDRA KUMAR JENA:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware of a recent KPMG report which states t while  68  per  cent  of  the  population  lives  in  villages,  about  75  per dispensaries, 60 per cent of hos pitals and 80 per cent of doctors are in urba areas;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to bridge this rural - urban divide?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE ( SHRI JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA )

- (a) to (c) :  A statement is laid on the Table of the House

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 491* FOR 7 TH APRIL, 2017

(a)  to  (c)    The  Government  is  aware  of  the  KPMG  report.    It  states currently, 60 per cent hospitals, 75 per cent dispensaries and 80 per cent are located in urban areas servicing only 28 per cent of the country's population. It further states that the NCD burden is growing; the health care infrastructur inadequate and there is a need for more trained human resources.  The h care infrastructure and density of physicians in the country is the lowes BRICS Nations.

Public  Health being  a  State  subject,  the  primary  responsibility providing adequate healthcare facilities and HR such as doctors/speciali both rural as well as urban areas, is that of the States/UTs.  However NRHM (now subsumed in NHM), financial and tec hnical support is provided to States/UTs  to  strengthen  their  healthcare  systems  including  for  setti new/upgrading  existing  public  health  facilities,  insourcing  or  engageme human  resources  on  contractual  basis,  drugs  and  equipment,  diagnosti am bulances,  Mobile Medical  Units  etc.  for  provision  of  equitable,  affor healthcare particularly in rural areas based on requirements posed by the in  their  Programme  Implementation  Plans within  their  overall  resource envelope .

To improve availab ility of HR in rural areas, the Government has adopte two pronged strategy:

- A. To  improve  overall  availability  of  doctors  and  specialists  in country.
- B. To encourage and incentivize doctors and specialists to serve in areas.

A. To improve overall availability of doctors and specialists, Government has taken following steps: -

- I. The ratio of teachers to students has been revised from 1:1 to 1:2 MD/MS  disciplines  and  1:1  to  1:3  in  subjects  of  Anesthesiology Forensic Med icine, Radiotherapy, Medical Oncology, Surgical Oncology  and  Psychiatry  in  all  medical  colleges  across  the  count Further,  teacher:  student  ratio  in  public  funded  Government  Medic Colleges for Professor has been increased from 1:2 to 1:3 in all cl l subjects and for Associate Prof. from 1:1 to 1:2 if the Associate Pr unit head. This would result in increase in number of specialists country.
- II. DNB  qualification  has  been  recognized  for  appointment  as  faculty take care of shortage of f aculty.
- III. Enhancement of maximum intake capacity at MBBS level from 150 to 250.
- IV. Enhancement  of  age  limit  for  appointment/  extension/  re - employment against  posts  of  teachers/dean/principal/  director  in  medical  co from 65 - 70 years.

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- V. Relaxation in the n orms of setting up of Medical College in terms of requirement for land, faculty, staff, bed/bed strength and infrastructure.
- VI. Strengthening/up gradation of State Government Medical Colleges fo starting new PG courses/Increase of PG seats.
- VII. Establish ment  of  New  Medical  Colleges  by  upgrading  district/referra hospitals preferably in underserved districts of the country.
4. VIII.Strengthening/  up  gradation  of  existing  State  Government/Centra Government Medical Colleges to increase MBBS seats.
- IX. Strengthening o f districts hospitals to run DNB/CPS courses.

B. To encourage and incentivize doctors to serve in rural and remote a the following steps have been taken:

- I. Support is provided to States/UTs for hard area allowance to doctors serving in rural and remote areas and for their residential quarters so t they  find  it  attractive  to  serve  in  public  health  facilities  in  s Performance based incentives are also provided under the NHM.
2. II.50% reservation in Post Graduate Diploma Courses for Medical O fficers in the Government service, who have served for at least three year remote and difficult areas; and
- III. Incentive at the rate of 10% the marks obtained for each year in serv remote  or  difficult  areas  as  upto  the  maximum  of  30%  of  the  mark obtained  in  the  entrance  test  for  admissions  in  Post  Graduate  Med Courses.

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