Question : Shortage of Nurses

(a) whether the Government is aware of a recent study that suggests that the country has poor nurse to population ratio of 1:670 as against the WHO norm of 1:300, nurse to doctor ratio as 1.7:1 and allied health workers to doctors is 1:1;

(b) if so, the resultant adverse impact on health sector along with necessary corrective steps being taken in this regard;

(c) the number of nursing graduates and the number of available nursing college seats in the country including Karnataka;

(d) the steps taken by the Government to increase the number of nursing colleges and seats in the country;

(e) whether a large number of nursing positions are lying vacant in the country and if so, the details thereof and the time since when the posts are vacant, State/UTwise particularly in NIMHANS, Bengaluru, BIMS, Belagavi;

(f) the efforts made to fill the vacant posts during the last five years; and

(g) whether the Government proposes to revise and update the provisions of the Indian Nursing Councils Acts, 1947 and if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF STATE INTHE MINISTRY OF HEALTH
AND FAMILY WELFARE
(Dr. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

(a) & (b) As per Indian Nursing Council (INC) and National medical Commission (NMC) records there are 33.41 lakh registered nurses and 13.01 lakh registered allopathic doctors in the country. As such, nurse to population and nurse to doctor ratio in the Country are 1:510 and 2.1:1 respectively. Further, there are around 13 lakh allied & healthcare professionals in the country which gives allied health workers to doctors ratio as 1:1.

(c) As per INC records, there are around 22 lakh RN & RM (B.Sc. nursing and GNM). The State-UT wise distribution of nursing colleges in the Country along with their admission capacity, including Karnataka is at Annexure-I.

(d) Under the Central Sector Scheme for Development of Nursing Services, funds to the tune of Rs.7.00 crores are provided to Schools of Nursing to upgrade to College of Nursing as per the scheme guidelines. Measures are taken by Indian Nursing Council to increase the number of nursing colleges and seats as in Annexure-II.

(e) & (f) The recruitment to the nursing positions falls under the domain of the respective State Governments. Further, there are 901 sanctioned nursing posts in NIMHANS, Bengaluru, out of which 804 are currently filled. As per information available with from the Karnataka state, in BIMS Belgavi, out of 334 sanctioned nursing posts 289 posts are filled.

(g) The draft National Nursing and Midwifery Commission (NNMC) Bill has been prepared and inter-ministerial consultations completed
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