(a) whether the Government is aware of the acute shortage of doctors, nurses, dentists and para-medical staff/professionals in the country particularly in the rural and backward areas;
(b) if so, the steps taken/being taken in this regard;
(c) whether the Government also proposes to get more medical and nursing colleges opened in various disciplines in the country; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI GHULAM NABI AZAD)
(a)to(d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 229 FOR 4TH DECEMBER, 2009
As per information available, total number of registered allopathic doctors in the country is 7,48,757. In addition to the allopathic doctors, there are more than six lakh practitioners of Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy which meets the shortage. Further, there are 79,815 registered dental surgeons in the country. In addition, there are around 16 lakh nurses and 7 lakhs pharmacists in the country. There are 300 medical and 290 medical colleges with annual intake of about 35,252 and 23,000 respectively. However, there is imbalance in availability of doctors, dentists and nurses in the rural and urban areas of the country.
As per the Rural Health Statistics (RHS) Bulletin of March 2008, 9715 posts of Auxillary Nurse Midwife (ANM) at sub centers (SCs), 4708 positions of doctors at Primary Health Centers (PHCs) and 4068 positions of specialists at Community Health Centers (CHCs) are vacant. Further, 4282 positions of pharmacists, 661 positions of radiographers and 3308 positions of lab technicians are vacant.
To facilitate setting up more medical colleges and nursing institutions, improve the doctor: population ratio in general and also correct the urban bias in the availability of medical professionals, the Government has taken the following steps:
1. Under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) and National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), it has been decided to set up six AIIMS like institutions in under-served States, upgrading 13 existing Government Medical Colleges / Institutions in ten States, strengthening of all PHCs by two doctors instead of one at present, encourage contractual appointment of medical professionals in States, multi-skill training of doctors and in-service training of ANMs/Nurses, etc. Under NRHM, over 7.30 lakh Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) in States have been positioned to operate as links between the citizens and public health eventuality in the village. Besides, over 44500 ANMs and 6300 staff nurses have been recruited on contract and 1388 PHCs have been strengthened with three staff nurses each. Over 9800 General duty Medical Officers, over 2300 specialists and 13200 paramedics have been selected on contract under NRHM at various levels.
2. Medical Council of India Regulations have been reviewed and amended as follows:
(i) For opening of new medical colleges, land requirements have been rationalized across the country and they have been further liberalized in the case of notified tribal areas, underserved/unserved areas and hill areas. In respect of these areas, land need not be unitary piece but can be in two pieces of land.
(ii) In respect of North-East and Hill States, the requirement of bed strength in the teaching hospitals has been liberalized.
(iii) Staff and infrastructural requirements have also been rationalized.
(iv) The ratio of post graduate medical teacher to the student has been relaxed from 1:1 to 1:2 which will result in availability of more medical specialists.
(v) To encourage MBBS doctors to serve in rural areas, 50% of the seats in post-graduate medical diploma courses under all-India quota have been earmarked for medical officers working in rural areas.
(vi) 10% weightage of marks has been provided for MBBS doctors working in rural areas for selection to the post-graduate medical degree courses.
3. Schemes have been envisaged to providing financial assistance for strengthening and upgradation of State medical colleges and teaching institutions for nurses and paramedical personnel.