Lok Sabha Question No. 2189 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-05-06
Subject: Ratio of the Health Workforce
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: KULAMANI SAMAL, DUSHYANT SINGH

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2189 TO BE ANSWERED ON 6 TH MAY, 2016

## RATIO OF THE HEALTH WORKFORCE

## 2189. DR. KULAMANI SAMAL: SHRI DUSHYANT SINGH:

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

- (a) the details of the ratio of the health workforce including physicians, nursing and midwifery personnel, dentistry personnel etc. in the country;
- (b) whether most of these densities a reless than respective global averages; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government for addressing each of the issues?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA)

(a) & (b) : As per information provided by respective regulatory bodies, 9,59,198 doctors, 7,89,796  Auxiliary  Nurse  Midwives  (ANM),  17,93,337  Registered  Nurse  &  Registered Midwives (RN&RM) and 1,57,731 Dentists are registered in the country.

Assuming 80% availability, it is estimated that around 7.67 lakh doctors may be actually available for active service. It gives a doctor - population ratio of 1:1681. Besides there are 6.77 lakh Ayurveda, Unani and Homeopathy (AUH) doctors in the country. If the allopathic and AU streams  are  conside red  together,  it  gives  a  doctor  population  ratio  of  1:  893.  Simil considering  80%  availability  of  ANMs  and  60%  availability  of  RN&RMs  to  be  currently available in service, there would be 17.08 lakhs of nurses in service in the country, whi giv e 1: 731 as the nurse population ratio.

- (c): The  Government  has  taken  the  following  steps  to  further  augment  the  availabilit doctors in the country:
- I. The  ratio  of  teachers  to  students  has  been  revised  from  1:1  to  1:2  for  all  M disciplines  and  1: 1  to  1:3  in  subjects  of  Anaesthesiology,  Forensic  Medicine,  Radiotherap Medical Oncology, Surgical Oncology and Psychiatry.
- II. DNB  qualification  has  been  recognized  for  appointment  as  faculty  to  take  care shortage of faculty.

III. Enhancement of max imum intake capacity at MBBS level from 150 to 250.

IV. Enhancement  of  age  limit  for  appointment/extension/re - employm nt  against  posts  of teachers/dean /principal/ director in medical colleges from 65 - 70 years.

V. Relaxation in the norms for setting up of a medical college in terms of requirement for land, faculty, staff, bed/ bed strength and other infrastructure.

VI. Strengthening/upgradation of State Government Medical Colleges for starting new P courses/Increase of PG seats with fund sharing between t he Central and State Government.

VII. Establishment of New Medical Colleges by upgrading district/referral hospit preferably  in  underserved  districts  of  the  country  with  fund  sharing  between  the  C Government and States.

VIII. Strengthening/ upgra dation of existing State Government/Central Government Medical Colleges to increase MBBS seats with fund sharing between the Central Government and State

IX. Under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of upgradation/strengthening of Nursing Servi (ANM/GNM), this Ministry has approved 128 ANM and 137 GNM Schools across the Country.