Indore; 250 vacant posts hit AYUSH services as patient footfall reaches 8.75 lakh
Healthcare Staff Shortage
Indore: More than 8.75 lakh patients sought treatment at government AYUSH hospitals and dispensaries across Madhya Pradesh's Indore during the first six months of 2026. However, the rising patient load has coincided with a significant shortage of healthcare personnel, as over 250 sanctioned posts remain vacant across the division.
According to official data reviewed during a divisional commissioner-level assessment, the Indore division has 236 AYUSH hospitals and dispensaries. Between January and June 2026, these facilities recorded an outpatient attendance of 8,75,357 patients, indicating sustained public interest in Ayurveda, Homoeopathy and other AYUSH systems of medicine, according to Dainik Bhaskar.
Among the districts, Dhar registered the highest number of OPD visits at nearly 1.71 lakh patients, followed by Khargone with around 1.24 lakh and Indore with approximately 1.23 lakh patients. In comparison, AYUSH institutions across the division treated more than 18 lakh patients during the entire 2025 calendar year.
Despite the rising patient load, the AYUSH department continues to face a significant shortage of healthcare personnel. Of the 1,153 sanctioned posts in the division, only 903 are currently filled, leaving 250 vacancies- approximately 21.7% of the total sanctioned workforce.
The shortage is particularly evident among healthcare staff directly involved in patient care and service delivery. Hospital attendants account for the largest gap, with 109 vacancies out of 229 sanctioned posts. The division also has 34 vacant posts for Ayurveda Medical Officers out of 202 sanctioned positions.
Other vacant positions include 45 posts for women health workers, 25 part-time sanitation workers, 10 Ayurveda compounders, 10 Homoeopathy compounders, five Homoeopathy Medical Officers, four nursing sisters and three staff nurses. The prolonged vacancies are expected to affect healthcare delivery, particularly as women health workers play an important role in maternal and child healthcare as well as community-based programmes, reports The Daily.
The Indore division currently has 96 AYUSH Health and Wellness Centres. With increasing awareness of yoga, lifestyle-based interventions and AYUSH therapies contributing to higher patient attendance, the department faces the challenge of filling vacant posts to ensure adequate healthcare services and meet the rising demand.
