This document summarizes the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3418, answered on August 8, 2025, regarding attacks against medical practitioners and related issues.
The Ministry states that health is a state subject, and therefore, the responsibility for recording cases of violence, intimidation, or abuse against registered medical practitioners lies primarily with individual States and Union Territories. Consequently, data on such incidents is not centrally maintained by the Union Government.
In response to concerns about the mental health of doctors, the Ministry highlights the implementation of the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP), which offers outpatient services, assessment, counseling, psychosocial interventions, and continuing care. Further support is provided through the National Tele Mental Health Programme and the Tele MANAS Mobile Application. The National Medical Commission (NMC) has also introduced mandatory Yoga modules into the MBBS curriculum for students and faculty.
To address doctor retention in rural areas, the Ministry cites non-monetary incentives under the National Health Mission (NHM), such as preferential admission to postgraduate courses for staff serving in difficult areas and improved accommodation. Hard area allowances are also provided to specialist doctors in rural and remote regions. Additionally, the Family Adoption Programme (FAP) has been incorporated into the MBBS curriculum, tasking medical colleges with adopting villages and MBBS students with adopting families within those villages to foster empathy towards rural populations and promote equitable healthcare access.
The response was provided by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Smt. Anupriya Patel.
Key Entities Referenced
National Mental Health Programme (NMHP): A Government of India initiative to provide mental health services, including outpatient services, assessment, counselling, psychosocial interventions and continuing care.
National Tele Mental Health Programme: A Government of India program to improve support for mental health issues through telemedicine.
Tele MANAS Mobile Application: A mobile application launched by the Government of India to improve support for mental health issues.
National Medical Commission (NMC): The commission has introduced Yoga in the induction course of MBBS and has made Yoga module of 10 days mandatoryfor all students.
MBBS: Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, an undergraduate medical degree.
Family Adoption Programme (FAP): A programme incorporated into the MBBS curriculum to provide equitable healthcare access to rural population, involving medical colleges adopting villages.
National Health Mission (NHM): Under this mission Non-Monetary incentives such as preferential admission in postgraduate courses for staff serving in difficult areas and improving accommodation arrangement in rural areas have also been introduced.
Anupriya Patel: Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, who provided the answer to the Lok Sabha question.
GOVERNMENTOFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 3418
TO BE ANSWERED ON 08THAUGUST, 2025
CASES OFATTACK AGAINSTMEDICALPRACTITIONERS
3418. SHRIRAVINDRADATTARAM WAIKAR:
SHRINARESH GANPATMHASKE:
DR. SHRIKANT EKNATHSHINDE:
SMT. SHAMBHAVI:
Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE be pleased tostate:
(a)the numberof cases of violence, intimidationor abuse reportedagainst registered medical
practitionersduring the last five years, State/UT-wise andyear-wise;
(b) the detailsof anyassessment or study conducted bythe Government onpublic trust in
doctorsandthe influence of patient expectationsonclinicaldecision-making;
(c)the steps takentoaddress work-related stress, burnout andmentalhealthconcerns
amongdoctorsworking inGovernment hospitals across the country;
(d) the detailsof the existing mechanismsinplace tomonitorprofessional satisfaction and
retentionof doctors, particularly inrural andunderserved regions, alongwith supporting data;
and
(e) the details of the Government plans under consideration to develop a long-term
framework
aimedat strengthening the doctor-patientrelationship and restoring institutional trust inthe
medicalprofession?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILY
WELFARE
(SMT. ANUPRIYAPATEL)
(a) to (e): ‘Health’ being a State subject, it is the primary responsibility of States/UTs take
note of cases of violence,intimidation or abuse reportedagainst registered medical
practitioners.Data anddetails inthisregardare not maintainedcentrally.The Government of India implements the National Mental Health Programme
(NMHP) in the country to provide mental health services which include provisions for
outpatient services, assessment, counselling/ psycho-social interventions and continuing
care. GoI has also launched National Tele Mental Health Programme and Tele MANAS
Mobile Application to improve support for mental health issues. Additionally, NMC has
introduced Yoga in the induction course of MBBS and has made Yoga module of 10 days
mandatoryfor all students which can also be attendedbyfaculty.
Further, the Family Adoption Programme (FAP) has been incorporated into the
MBBS curriculum to provide equitable healthcare access to rural population. FAP involves
medical colleges adopting villages, and MBBS students adopting families within these
villages tomake students empathetic towards rural populace. Non-Monetary incentives such
as preferential admission in postgraduate courses for staff serving in difficult areas and
improving accommodation arrangement in rural areas have also been introduced under
NHM. Hard area allowance is also provided to specialist doctors for serving in rural and
remote areas.
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