Lok Sabha Question No. 499 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-09
Subject: Shortage of Doctors in Aspirational Districts
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Jugal Kishore Sharma, Geeta Kora, Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 499 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 09 TH  DECEMBER, 2022

## 'SHORTAGE OF DOCTORS IN ASPIRATIONAL DISTRICTS'

## 499 SHRI JUGAL KISHORE SHARMA: SHRIMATI GEETA KORA: SHRI SAPTAGIRI SANKAR ULAKA:

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

- (a)   whether there is a shortage of doctors in the country and if so, the details thereof along with the positions lying vacant especially in the tribal aspirational districts and its impact on the healthcare system of the country, State/UT-wise;
- (b)   whether the Government proposes to bring a national policy making it mandatory for all PG/MBBS doctors to work in rural areas for three years, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (c)   the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to cater the rural/underserved regions/ people in the country including Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## (DR BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

(a)  to  (c)  As  informed  by  the  National  Medical  Commission  (NMC),  there  are  13,08,009 allopathic  doctors  registered  with  the  State  Medical  Councils  and  the  National  Medical Commission (NMC) as on June, 2022. Assuming 80% availability of registered allopathic doctors and 5.65 lakh AYUSH doctors, the doctor-population ratio in the country is 1:834.

The  primary  responsibility  of  strengthening  public  healthcare  system  including  ensuring availability of doctors and other human resources in public healthcare facilities including in remote / tribal areas lies with the respective State Governments.

Under National Health Mission (NHM), support is provided to the States /UTs to strengthen their  health  care  systems  based  on  the  proposals  received  from  the  States  so  as  to  provide universal access to equitable, affordable and quality health care services all over the country including in tribal aspirational areas, including ensuring availability of doctors in the remote and tribal areas. Under  NHM,  flexibility is given to the States for providing hard area allowance, performance-based incentives, providing accommodation and transport facilities in rural and remote areas, sponsoring training programmes, etc to engage human resources to address the issue of shortage of doctors and specialists in the public health facilities. The States are also encouraged to adopt flexible norms for engaging doctors and specialists for  public  healthcare  facilities.  These  include  'contracting  in'  and  'contracting  out'  of specialist  services  and  engaging  specialists  outside  the  government  system  for  service delivery at public facilities under NHM. States have also been allowed to offer negotiable salaries to attract doctors and Specialists including flexibility in strategies such as ''You quote, we pay". To enhance healthcare facilities at District/ Rural level and to address the issue of shortage of specialists in the country, the Government has approved District Residency Program where the second/third year PG students of medical colleges are to be posted in the district hospitals for a period of three months. Further, the government has taken several measures to address the shortage of doctors in the country.  The  government  has  increased  number  of  medical  colleges  and  subsequently increased MBSS seats. 261 new medical colleges were added in last 7 years raising the total to 648 Medical colleges. The number of UG seats have increased from 51,348 before 2014 to 96,077 seats as of date which is an increase of 87%.The numbers of PG seats have increased

by 105% from 31,185 seats before 2014 to 64,059 seats .

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