Lok Sabha Question No. 3958 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-24
Subject: Shortage of Medical Staff in Armed Force
Ministry: DEFENCE
Asked by: Balubhau (Alias Suresh Narayan) Dhanorkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

## DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3958

TO BE ANSWERED ON 24 th  March, 2023

## SHORTAGE OF MEDICAL STAFF IN ARMED FORCE

3958. SHRI BALUBHAU ALIAS SURESH NARAYAN DHANORKAR:

Will the Minister of DEFENCE be pleased to state:

- (a)  the details of doctor-patient and nurse-patient ratio in the Defence forces, service-wise;
- (b)  whether there is a shortage of doctors, nurses and other medical staff in the armed forces at present;
- (c)  if so, the details thereof, service-wise along with the reasons therefor; and
- (d)     the  steps  taken  to  fill  up  these  vacancies  to  maintain  strength  of  medical  force  in  the three services at the authorised level?

## A  N  S  W  E  R

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

(SHRI AJAY BHATT)

- (a):  The details of doctor-patient and nurse-patient ratio are as under: -

Doctor-Patient ratio 0.64 per 1000

Nurse-Patient ratio 0.42 per 1000

Armed Forces Medical Services is a Tri-Service Organisation. The ratio is calculated on a comprehensive basis.

- (b) & (c):  Vacancies of doctors, nurses and other medical staff arise on account of release, resignation, premature retirement and superannuation.

Details  of  doctors  (Army  Medical  Corps  and  Army  Dental  Corps)  and  nurses (Military Nursing Services) sanctioned and vacant in Armed Forces Medical Services as of February 2023 are at Annexure, Table-1.

The  details  of  other  medical  staff  (paramedics)  sanctioned  and  vacant  in  Armed Forces Medical Services as of March, 2023 are at Annexure, Table-2.

(d):  Recruitment of doctors, nurses and other medical staff in the Armed Forces is carried out every year by factoring in the vacancies against authorised levels.

Recruitment of other medical staff was impacted during the years 2021 and 2022 on account of COVID. Efforts are being made to cover this in future recruitment.

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ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (b)  &  (c)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3958 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.03.2023 REGARDING 'SHORTAGE OF MEDICAL STAFF IN ARMED FORCE'.

Table 1: Doctors and Nurses in Armed Forces Medical Services: -

| Corps Services   | Corps Services   |   Army Medical Corps |   Army Dental Corps |   Military Nursing Service |
|------------------|------------------|----------------------|---------------------|----------------------------|
|                  | Authorised       |                 6269 |                 691 |                       4396 |
|                  | Held             |                 5527 |                 649 |                       3865 |
|                  | Vacancy          |                  742 |                  42 |                        531 |
|                  | Authorised       |                  736 |                  57 |                        446 |
|                  | Held             |                  700 |                  44 |                        380 |
|                  | Vacancy          |                   36 |                  13 |                         66 |
|                  | Authorised       |                  932 |                  40 |                        516 |
|                  | Held             |                  898 |                  30 |                        433 |
|                  | Vacancy          |                   34 |                  10 |                         83 |
|                  | Authorised       |                 7937 |                 788 |                       5358 |
|                  | Held             |                 7125 |                 723 |                       4678 |
|                  | Vacancy          |                  812 |                  65 |                        680 |

Table 2: Other Medical Staff (Paramedics) in Armed Forces Medical Services: -

| Service   |   Authorized |   Held |   Vacancy |
|-----------|--------------|--------|-----------|
| Army      |        24640 |  23375 |      1265 |
| Navy      |         3195 |   2804 |       391 |
| Air Force |         4496 |   4383 |       113 |

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