Ministry of Health sets focus to achieve better doctor to patient ratio

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has taken considerable steps to strengthen the churning of doctors in India by taking adequate steps to boost the administration of medical colleges

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is taking cognizance of the skewed up ratio of the ration of doctors available for each patients in India. As per the WHO Norm the ideal doctor to patient ratio is 1:1000. However, if we look at the Indian statistics, there are 9.29 lakh doctors registered with the Indian Medical Register at the end of March 31, 2014. Considering 82% availability of doctors for active service in India, the doctor to patient ratio equated here will be 1:1674 .

With the government increasing the norm for Ayurvedic treatments in providing better healthcare facilities in both, urban and rural parts of India, the doctor to patient ratio becomes a bit more favourable at 1:855, taking into account the 6.77 lakh AYUSH doctors.

With laying its focus on improving the doctor availability in India, the government has taken few steps at the ground level to ease the pressure. The Health Minister JP Nadda states this in a written reply to Rajya Sabha recently.

• The ratio of teachers has been revised from 1:1 to 1:2 for all MD/MS disciplines and 1:1 to 1:3 in subjects such as Anesthesiology, Forensic Medicine, Radiotherapy, Medical Oncology, and Surgical Oncology


• DNB qualification has been recognized for appointment as faculty to take care of shortage of faculty


• Enhancement of maximum intake capacity at MBBS level from 150 to 250


• Enhancement of age limit for appointment/extension/reemployment against posts of teachers/deans/principal/director in medical colleges from 65-70 years


• Relaxation in the norms for setting up a medical college in terms of requirement of land, faculty, staff, bed/bed strength and other infrastructure


• Strengthening/upgradation of state medical colleges for starting new PG courses/increase of PG seats with fund sharing between the Central and the State govt in the ration of 75:25


• Establishment of new medical colleges by upgrading district/referral hospitals in undeserved districts of the country with fund sharing between the Central government and the States in the ratio of 90:10 for NE/special category states and 75:25 for other states


• Strengthening or upgradation of existing State govt/Central govt Medical Colleges to increase MBBS seats with fund sharing between the Central govt and the States in the ratio of 90:10 for NE/special category states with the upper ceiling of the cost per MBBS pegged at Rs 1.20 crore