Lok Sabha Question No. 1454 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-28
Subject: Shortage of Doctors and Other Health Professionals
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Sanjeev Kumar Singari, Anto  Antony, Nalin Kumar Kateel

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1454 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28th July, 2023

## SHORTAGE OF DOCTORS AND OTHER HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

1454. DR. SANJEEV KUMAR SINGARI: SHRI ANTO ANTONY: SHRI NALIN KUMAR KATEEL:

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

- (a) whether the Government has taken note of the shortage of doctors and if so, the details of the steps taken to recruit doctors and other medical professionals to meet the demand of the people;
- (b) the estimated number of doctors available in the country, State/UT-wise;
- (c) the estimated number of nurses and paramedical staff available in the country, State/UTwise;
- (d) the estimated number of Registered Medical Practitioners (RMPs) in the country, State/UT-wise;
- (e) the doctor to population ratio in the country during the last three years along with the steps taken to bring the ratio in compliance with the international health standards; and
- (f) whether the Government plans to create a database of healthcare personnel available in thecountry and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons thereof?

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

(a) to (f): As per information provided by 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 which is better than the WHO standard of 1:1000. Also, there are 36.14 lakh registered nursing personnel and 13 lakh Allied and Healthcare Professionals in the country.

The government has increased number of medical colleges and subsequently increased MBBS seats. There is an increase of 82% in Medical Colleges from 387 before 2014 to 704 as of now. Further, there is an increase of 110% in MBBS seats from 51,348 before 2014 to 1,07,948 as of now and increase of 117% in PG seats from 31,185 before 2014 to 67,802 as of now.

The measures/steps taken by the Government to increase the doctor/medical professional in the country include:-

- i. Centrally Sponsored Scheme for establishment of new medical college by upgrading district/ referral hospital under which 107 new medical colleges are already functional out of 157 approved.
- ii. Centrally Sponsored Scheme for strengthening/ upgradation of existing State Government/Central Government Medical Colleges to increase MBBS and PG seats.
- iii. Under 'Upgradation of Government Medical Colleges by construction of Super Specialty Blocks' of Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) scheme, a total of 75 projects have been approved, of which 62 projects are complete.
- iv. Under the Central Sector Scheme for setting up of new AIIMS, 22 AIIMS have been approved. Undergraduate courses have started in 19 of these.
- v. Relaxation in the norms for setting up of Medical College in terms of requirement for faculty, staff, bed strength and other infrastructure.
- vi. DNB qualification has been recognized for appointment as faculty to take care of shortage of faculty.
- vii. Enhancement of age limit for appointment/ extension/ re-employment against posts of teachers/Dean/Principal/ Director in medical colleges upto 70 years.

The Government has also taken the following steps to increase the Nurses in the country:-

(i) Under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for 'Establishment of new Medical College attached with existing district/referral hospital' 157 medical colleges have been approved since 2014. Establishment of 157 nursing colleges have been announced in the budget speech 2023-24 in these medical colleges.

(ii) For Nursing Educational Programmes Student patient ratio has been relaxed from 1:5 to 1:3.

- (iii) The land requirement for Nursing Educational Institutes from 3 acres has been

relaxed to construct building of 54,000 sq. ft. for School/College of Nursing including Hostel.

(iv) To open GNM and B.Sc. (Nursing) programme 100 bedded parent hospital is essential since 2013-2014. However, this is relaxed for hilly and tribal areas.

(v) Relaxed norms for teaching faculty to start B.Sc. (N) Programme.

(vi) Super speciality Hospital can start M.Sc. (N) without having under graduate programme.

(vii) Maximum of 100 seats will be granted to the institutions for B.Sc.(N)/GNM programmes which are having parent hospital with 300 beds without insisting on Medical College.

(viii) Distance from school to hospital has been relaxed.

(ix) Eligibility Criteria for admission to nursing programmes relaxed.

Database of registered medical practitioners is at present available in the form of the Indian Medical Register (IMR), as per provision of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956. The National Medical Commission Act, 2019 as per Section 31(1) mandates that a National Register be maintained.

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