Lok Sabha Question No. 1740 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-16
Subject: Shortage of Trained Nursing and Medical Staff
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Chandrani Murmu

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1740 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16 th  DECEMBER, 2022

## SHORTAGE OF TRAINED NURSING AND MEDICAL STAFF

## 1740: MS. CHANDRANI MURMU:

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

- (a) whether there are sufficient number of trained nursing and medical staff available in the country and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (b) the number of sanctioned nursing posts in the Government health centres and hospitals in Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts of Odisha and the positions lying vacant as on date; and
- (c) the details of the steps taken to revamp the medical facilities in both the districts?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (Dr. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

- (a)    to  (c):  As  informed  by  Indian  Nursing  Council  (INC),  there  are  35.14  lakh  Nursing personnels  in  the  country  giving  a  nurse  to  population  ratio  of  2.06  nurses  per  1000 population. There are 5324 Nursing Institutions  including 722 government institutes in the country.  As  informed  by  National  Medical  Commission  there  are  13.08  lakh  allopathic doctors  registered  with  the  State  Medical  Councils  and  National  Medical  Commission. Assuming 80% availability of registered allopathic doctors and 5.65 lakh AYUSH doctors, the doctor to population ratio in the country is 1:834.

District-wise data related to the government healthcare centres are not maintained centrally, however as informed by the Odisha state, the number of sanctioned as well as vacant nursing posts in the Government health centres and hospitals in Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts is as below:

|   Sr. No. | Name of the District              |   Sanction strength | In position   |   Vacancy |
|-----------|-----------------------------------|---------------------|---------------|-----------|
|         1 | Keonjhar                          |                 587 | 418           |       169 |
|         2 | Mayurbhanj                        |                 766 | 560           |       206 |
|         3 | Govt. Medical College, Keonjhar * |                 321 | --            |       321 |
|         4 | Govt. Medical College, Baripada   |                 321 | 222           |        99 |

The  primary  responsibility  of  strengthening  public  healthcare  system  including  ensuring availability of doctors and other medical staff in public healthcare facilities in State/UT's lies with the respective State Government.

The  central  government  augments  the  efforts  of  the  state  governments  through  various schemes. Under the centrally sponsored scheme for the establishment of ANM/GNM schools, an amount of Rs 3.37 Cr each was released to both Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts of Odisha  for  the  establishment  of  GNM  schools.  Under  the  scheme  'Establishment  of  new medical colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals' 07 medical colleges were approved in Odisha, out of which one medical college was approved at Baripada (Mayurbhanj) district and the college is functional.

Under National Health Mission (NHM), support is provided to the State/UT's to strengthen their  health  care  system  based  on  the  proposal  received  from  the  States  so  as  to  provide universal access to equitable, affordable and quality health care services all over the country.

The states are also encouraged to adopt flexible norms for engaging doctors and specialist for public healthcare facilities. These include 'contracting in' and 'contracting out' of specialist services and engaging specialist outside the government system for service delivery at public facilities under NHM.

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