Lok Sabha Question No. 2098 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-23
Subject: Shortage of Doctors during Covid Pandemic
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: L.S. Tejasvi Surya, Prathap Simha, Adoor Prakash

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2098 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23 RD SEPTEMBER, 2020

## SHORTAGE OF DOCTORS DURING COVID PANDEMI C

## 2098. SHRI L.S. TEJASVI SURYA: SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA: ADV. ADOOR PRAKASH:

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

(a) whether the Corona virus pandemic challenge brought forth the shortage of doctors and medical staff in various parts of the country and if so, the measures taken by the Government to address the shortage;

- (b) whether the Government intends to permit 50,000 existing diploma holders to convert their diploma into an MS/MD degree after the submission of a thesis report, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government intends to permit final year MBBS students to perform duty in COVID - 19 designated hospitals, if so, the details thereof and the names of the States which have delegated the responsibility to final year MBBS students; and

(d)whether the Government is aware of the shortage of nursing staff in various hospitals in the country, if so, the measures taken by the Government to incentivize nurses to perform duty during the Corona virus pandemic?

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

(a): COVID - 19 pandemic has underlined the need for effective utilization of Health Workers.

Public  Health  being  a  State  Subject,  all  the  administrative  a nd  personnel  matters, including that of appointment/recruitment/ engagement of doctors, nurses and other h workers inpublic health facilities lie with the respective State Governments. Theshor health humanresource in public health facilities va ries from State to State. However, under National Health Mission (NHM), financial and technical support isprovided to the States to strengthen their healthcare systems, including support for engagement of human reso Government of India has taken various stepsto optimize the number of doctors and specialist in  the  country - such  as  increasing  the  number  of  seats  in  UG/PG  level  at  various  medic educational institutes/medical colleges  across the country; encouraging doctors to w remote  and  di fficult  areas;  encouraging  States  to  adopt  flexible  norms  for  engag specialistsfor  public  health  facilities  by  various  mechanisms  like  'contracting  in'  and 'contracting  out'  ofspecialist  services  under  National  Health  Mission.  State/UTs  have  also been a llowed tooffernegotiable salaries to attract Specialists including flexibility in such  as  'You  quote,  we  pay".  Financial  support  is  also  provided  to  States  for  pro performance - based incentives, providing accommodation and transport facilit ies inrural and remote areas, sponsoring training programmes etc. to attract human resources to addre issue of shortage of doctors and specialists in the public health facilities. Also, advised  to  put  in  place  transparentpolicies  of  postin g  andtransfer,  and  ensure  rational deployment.

(b): No. There is no proposal to permit 50,000 existing diploma holders to convert diploma into an  MS/MD  degree  after  the  submission  of  a  thesis report.

(c): The final year MBBS student may b e trained about Covid - 19 management in theory and practice, under supervision of faculties, but they cannot be assigned any clinical

(d): Public  Health  being  a  State  Subject,  all  the  administrative  and  personnel  ma including that of appointment/recruitment/ engagement of doctors, nurses and other healt workers in public health facilities lie with the respective State Governments. The sho health human resource in public health facilities varies from State to State. However der National  Health  Mission  (NHM),  financial  and  technical  support  is  provided  to States/UTs  to  strengthen  their  healthcare  systems,  including  support  for  engagemen human resources.

The Government has taken several measures to incentivize the nurs es o perform duty during the Corona virus pandemic including inter alia trainings to build their capaci measures  for  psychosocial  support.  Also,  in  order  to  ensure  the  safety  of  health  w various  initiatives  such  as  insurance  cover  for  COVID - 19  warriors  under  Pradhan  Mantri Garib Kalyan Insurance Scheme, zero tolerance policy against all offenders for assaulti threatening healthcare providers, prophylactic medication and testing of health worker been undertaken.