ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI FAGGAN SINGH KULASTE)
(a) & (b): As per IMC Act, 1956 only the practitioners enrolled on a State medical register can practice medicine. Any person who acts in contravention is liable to be punished with imprisonment and/or fine. Since Health is a State subject, action in such cases is to be taken by the respective State Governments. It may be noted that besides 9.59 lakh registered allopathic doctors in the country, there are 6.77 lakh Ayurveda, Unani and Homeopathy (AUH) doctors.
Assuming 80% availability of doctors, 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. If the allopathic and AUH streams are considered together, it gives a doctor population ratio of 1:893. Likewise, 7,89,796 Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANM) and 17,93,337 Registered Nurse & Registered Midwives (RN&RM) are registered in the country. Assuming 80% availability of ANMs and 60% availability of RN&RMs, there would be 17.10 lakhs nursing personnel in service in the country, which gives a nurse population ratio of 1:748.
(c): There are 439 medical colleges in the country with an intake capacity of 59883 MBBS seats and around 8000 Nursing institutes with an annual intake of 3 lakh students. The Government has taken the following steps to further augment the availability of doctors and nursing personnel in the country:
I. The ratio of teachers to students has been revised from 1:1 to 1:2 for all MD/MS disciplines and 1:1 to 1:3 in subjects of Anaesthesiology, Forensic Medicine, Radiotherapy, Medical Oncology, Surgical Oncology and Psychiatry.
II. DNB qualification has been recognized for appointment as faculty to take care of shortage of faculty.
III. Enhancement of maximum intake capacity at MBBS level from 150 to 250.
IV. Enhancement of age limit for appointment/extension/re-employment 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. Centrally sponsored schemes for medical education:
(a)Strengthening/upgradation of State Government Medical Colleges for starting new PG courses/Increase of PG seats.
(b)Establishment of New Medical Colleges by upgrading district/referral hospitals preferably in underserved areas of the country.
(c)Strengthening/ upgradation of existing State Government/Central Government Medical Colleges to increase MBBS seats.
(d)Upgradation/strengthening of Nursing Services (ANM/GNM Schools).
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