Lok Sabha Question No. 1022 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-02-08
Subject: Doctor-Population Ratio
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: SHIVAJI ADHALRAO PATIL, UDAY PRATAP SINGH, ANANDRAO  ADSUL, PINAKI MISRA, KANWAR SINGH TANWAR, VINOD KUMAR BOIANAPALLI, KAMLA DEVI PATLE, DHARMENDRA YADAV, J. JAYASINGH THIYAGARAJ NATTERJEE, SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE, K. MARAGATHAM, ELUMALAI VELLAIGOUNDER, C. MAHENDRAN, VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1022 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08 TH FEBRUARY, 2019

## DOCTOR - POPULATION RATIO

## 1022. SHRI ADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO:

SHRI UDAY PRATAP SINGH:

SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL:

SHRI PINAKI MISRA:

SHRI KANWAR SINGH TANWAR:

SHRI B. VINOD KUMAR:

SHRIMATI KAMLA DEVI PAATLE:

SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV:

SHRI J.J.T. NATTERJEE:

DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE:

SHRIMATI K. MARAGATHAM:

SHRI V. ELUMALAI:

SHRI C. MAHENDRAN:

SHRI VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the doctor/population ratio is low in the country as per the WHO recommendat if so, the details the reof;

- (b) whether the number includes AYUSH practitioners along with allopathic doctors, if s details thereof;

- (c)  the  total  number  of  allopathic  doctors  registered  in  the  country  and  the  number doctors serving the Government and the publ ic sector institutions;

- (d)  whether  the  Government  has  analyzed  the  reasons  for  which  the  doctors  prefer  pr practice over serving in Government institutions, if so, the details thereof;

- (e)  the steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure  the  availability  of  specialist  in  Commu Health Centres (CHCs) especially in the rural/remote areas of the country;

- (f) whether the Government has issued any directions/guidelines to States in this regard, o, the details thereof; and

Contd………

(g) the corrective measures being taken by the Government to tackle the situation and i the doctor - population ratio in the country?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) to (c) : As per information provided by Medical Council of India (MCI), there are a to 11,46,044  allopathic  doctors  registered  with  the  State  Medical  Councils/Medical  Counc India as on 31 st December, 2018. Assuming 80% availability, it is estimated that around 9. lakh doctors may be actually available for active service. It gives a doctor - population ratio of 1:1472 as per current population estimate of 1.35 billion, which is lower than the WHO norm of 1:1000. Besides, there are 7.63 lakh Ayurveda, Unani and Homeopathy (AUH) doctors in t country. Assuming 80% availability, it is estimated that around 6.10 lakh Ayurveda, Unan Homeopathy (AUH) doctors may be actually available for servi ce. There are also about 2.5 lakh registered  dentists  in  the  country.  Further,  the  data  regarding  number  of  doctors  se Government and public sector institutions is not maintained centrally. However, Central of  Health  Intelligence  (CBHI)  has informed  that  there  are  1.15  lakh  Government  allopathic doctors in the country as per National Health Profile, 2018.

(d) to (g ) : Public health and hospitals is a State subject. Shortage of doctors in public sector varies from State to State d epending upon their policies and context. However, under the National Health Mission (NHM), financial and technical support is provided to States/U strengthen  their  healthcare  systems  including  support  for  engagement  of  doctors/sta contractual ba sis, based on the requirements posed by them in their Programme Implementatio Plans (PIPs) within their overall resource envelope.

The Government has taken various steps to ensure the availability of specialist doc CHCs especially in the rural/remote areas, these efforts include:

(i) Support is provided to States/UTs for hard area allowance to specialist doctors for rural and remote areas and for their residential quarters so that they find it attractiv public health facilities in such areas.

(ii) The States are encouraged to adopt flexible norms for engaging specialists at publ facilities.  These  include  various  mechanisms  for  'contacting  in'  and  'contracting  out'  of specialist  services,  empanelling  pr ivate  medical  facilities  to  provide  requisite  Specialists other  methods  of  engaging  specialists  outside  the  government  system  for  service  deliv public  facilities  and  the  mechanism  to  include  requests  for  these  in  the  state Implementation Plans (PIP) under the National Health Mission.

Contd……

Also, States are advised to put in place transparent policies of posting and tran ensure rational deployment of doctors. As the posts required for health facilities are f p by respective  State/UT  Governments,  they  are  impressed  upon  from  time  to  time  to  fill  u vacant posts.

Further, the Government has also taken several steps to further increase the number of doctors in the country . These include :

(i ) The ratio of teachers to students has been revised from 1:1 to 1:2 for all MD/MS dis and  1:1  to  1:3  in  subjects  of  Anaesthesiology,  Forensic  Medicine,  Radiotherapy,  Med Oncology, Surgical Oncology and Psychiatry. Further, teacher: student rat io in public funded Government Medical Colleges for Professor has been increased from 1:2 to 1:3 in all cl subjects and for Asso. Prof. from 1:1 to 1:2 if the Asso. Prof. is a unit head. The sam been  extended  to  the  private  medical  colleges with  certain  conditions.  This  would  result  in increase in number of PG seats in the country.

(ii) DNB qualification has been recognized for appointment as faculty to take care of sho faculty.

(iii) Enhancement of maximum intake capacity at MBBS l evel from 150 to 250.

(iv) Relaxation in the norms of setting up of Medical College in terms of requirement for staff, bed strength and other infrastructure.

(v) Requirement of land for establishment of medical college in metropolitan cities as tified under Article 243P(c) of the Constitution of India has been dispensed with.

(vi)  Strengthening/upgradation  of  State  Government  Medical  Colleges  for  starting  new courses/Increase of PG seats.

(vii) Establishment of New Medical Colleges by upgradi ng district/referral hospitals preferably in underserved districts of the country.

(viii)  Strengthening/  upgradation  of  existing  State  Government/Central  Government  Medi Colleges to increase MBBS seats.

(ix)  Enhancement  of  age  limit  for  appointment/  ex tension/  re - employment  against  posts  of teachers/dean/principal/ director in medical colleges from 65 - 70 years.

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