New Delhi: The latest Medical Council of India (MCI) data revealed that the doctor-population ratio in India stands at 1:1681. The calculation excluded non-allopathy doctors and was made on the assumption that 80 per cent of these doctors are available on any given day.
The ratio clearly indicates that governments, both at the Centre and states, have not taken firm steps to prevent doctors from migrating from India or making the conditions for doctors to practice in the country.
The study carried out by MCI also mentioned that 4,701 Indian doctors moved abroad between April 2013 and March 2016.
The extreme shortage of nephrologists in the country, especially in North Karnataka, forces patients to head to Bengaluru, as there is no facility for dialysis and other kidney-related treatment available in most parts of the state.
"Today, India is on the brink of a major healthcare crisis. While we are globally the hub of non-communicable and communicable diseases, we also face a significant shortage of doctors. With less than 1 per cent spent on health, medical education is a neglected subject for the government," Dr Vishal Rao US, consultant oncologist, head and neck surgeon at Healthcare Global Cancer Centre told Times of India.
The recent government data shows that hundred of posts of doctors have been vacant in government hospitals since a long time.
The Union Public Service Commission opened up vacancies for 83 super-speciality posts, out of which only 31 could be filled. The number of posts vacant in ESI hospitals in different states in 968, whereas seats vacant in Central Government Health Schemes (CGHS) dispensaries are 381.
Also, 480 posts meant for doctors in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) continue to remain vacant.
According to a report by Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), more than 9.5 lakh doctors registered themselves with the Medical Council of India state councils. It is surprising but true that 98,831 of these doctors registered in the last four years.
