ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)
(a) & (b): As per Rural Health Statistics (RHS) 2017, State/UT-wise status of doctors and specialists at various public health facilities and shortfall thereof is at Annexure I & II, respectively.
As per Medical Council of India, there are a total 10,62,398 allopathic doctors registered with the State Medical Councils/ Medical Council of India as on 31st December, 2017. Assuming 80% availability, it is estimated that around 8.50 lakh doctors may be actually available for active service. It gives a doctor-population ratio of 1:1565 as per current population estimate of 1.33 billion.
(c): Public health and hospitals being a state subject, the primary responsibility to ensure posting of doctors in public health facilities lies with the State Governments. However, under the National Health Mission (NHM), support is provided to States/UTs to strengthen their healthcare systems including for engaging of doctors on contractual basis based on the requirements posed by the States/UTs in their Programme Implementation Plans.
Also, States are advised to put in place transparent policies of posting and transfer, and ensure rational deployment of doctors. As the posts required for health facilities are filled up by respective State/UT Governments, they are impressed upon from time to time to fill up the vacant posts.
Further, in order to encourage doctors to work in remote and difficult areas, the Medical Council of India, with the previous approval of Central Government, has amended the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000 to provide:
I. 50% reservation in Post Graduate Diploma Courses for Medical Officers in the Government service, who have served for at least three years in remote and difficult areas; and
II. Incentive at the rate of 10% the marks obtained for each year in service in remote or difficult areas as upto the maximum of 30% of the marks obtained in the entrance test for admissions in Post Graduate Medical Courses.
(d): As per RHS-2017, there are 33,698 posts of doctors at Primary Health Centres out of which 8,826 are vacant.
However, as stated above, Public health and hospitals’ is a State subject. Shortage of Doctors in public health sector varies from State to State depending upon their policies and context.
(e): The Government has taken various steps to increase the number of doctors in the country. This includes:
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. Further, teacher: student ratio in public funded Government Medical Colleges for Professor has been increased from 1:2 to 1:3 in all clinical subjects and for Asso. Prof. from 1:1 to 1:2 if the Asso. Prof. is a unit head. The same has also been extended to the private medical colleges with the conditions that it should be a standing of 15 years, running PG courses since 10 years, should have completed at least 1 continuance of recognition assessment satisfactorily and applies u/s 10A of the IMC Act, 1956 for increase of seats.This would result in increase in number of PG seats in the country.
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. Relaxation in the norms of setting up of Medical College in terms of requirement for faculty, staff, bed/bed strength and other infrastructure.
V. Requirement of land for establishment of medical college in metropolitan cities as notified under Article 243P(c) of the Constitution of India has been dispensed with.
VI. Strengthening/upgradation of State Government Medical Colleges for starting new PG courses/Increase of PG seats.
VII. Establishment of New Medical Colleges by upgrading district/referral hospitals preferably in underserved districts of the country.
VIII. Strengthening/ upgradation of existing State Government/Central Government Medical Colleges to increase MBBS seats.
IX. Enhancement of age limit for appointment/ extension/ re-employment against posts of teachers/dean/principal/ director in medical colleges from 65-70 years.
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