**Executive Summary**
This document is the response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2234 regarding post-COVID preparedness in the health sector, to be answered on December 12th, 2025. It provides information on the number of doctors, budget allocations, post-COVID measures, and preparedness assessments. The document includes an Annexure with budget estimates and revised estimates for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for the last ten financial years.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Doctor-Population Ratio:**
* There are 13,88,185 registered allopathic doctors and 7,51,768 registered AYUSH practitioners.
* Assuming 80% availability, the doctor-population ratio in the country is estimated to be 1:811.
* **Budget Allocations:**
* Budget allocations for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for the last ten financial years are provided in an Annexure (listed by year, budget estimate, and revised estimate).
* **Post-COVID-19 Measures:**
* The Ministry supports States/UTs in strengthening health systems for pandemic and public-health emergency preparedness.
* This includes upgrading health infrastructure, expanding laboratory and surveillance networks, improving medical logistics, and installing Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) tanks.
* 1,225 PSA oxygen plants were set up nationwide during COVID-19.
* The Ministry conducts periodic mock drills to ensure the regular functioning of these plants.
* **Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM):**
* Implemented with an outlay of ₹64,180 crore.
* Key components include establishing/strengthening Integrated Public Health Labs (IPHLs), Block Public Health Units (BPHUs), Critical Care Hospital Blocks (CCBs), and expanding the Integrated Health Information Portal across all States/UTs.
**Impact Analysis**
**States/Union Territories**
* **Impact**
* They receive support from the Union Ministry for strengthening health systems.
* PM-ABHIM initiatives will be implemented in States/UTs, upgrading health infrastructure and expanding health information portals.
* **Action Required**
* States/UTs should collaborate with the Union Ministry to implement and manage the upgrades to public health infrastructure.
**Ministry of Health and Family Welfare**
* **Impact**
* The Ministry is tasked with supporting States/UTs in improving preparedness for future pandemics and emergencies.
* They must oversee the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM).
* **Action Required**
* The Ministry needs to continue supporting States/UTs, implement PM-ABHIM, and ensure regular functioning of installed infrastructure through mock drills.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The central government ministry responsible for health and family welfare policies and programs in India; the subject of the parliamentary question.
Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM): A national mission to build long-term health infrastructure preparedness.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the unstarred question was raised.
GOVERNMENTOFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 2234
TOBE ANSWERED ON12TH DECEMBER, 2025
POST-COVID PREPAREDNESSIN HEALTH SECTOR
2234.SHRIDEEPENDER SINGH HOODA:
Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE be pleased tostate:
(a) the number of doctors per 1,000 population for each of the last ten years, including the
current yearandwhether such data iscentrallymaintained;
(b) if so, the detailsthereof,year-wise andState/UT-wise;
(c) the details of budget allocations for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare during the
last tenfinancial years, includingthe current year, State/UT-wise;
(d) the special measures undertaken by the Government post COVID-19 in the country
including investments in oxygen plants, ICU/bed capacity, health workforce, digital health
andsurveillance systems, State/UT-wise; and
(e) whether any assessments or evaluations have been conducted on preparedness for future
healthcrises, if so, the details andthe findingsthereofandif not,the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
THE MINISTEROFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILY
WELFARE
(SMT. ANUPRIYAPATEL)
(a) to (e): There are 13,88,185 registered allopathic doctors and 7,51,768 registered AYUSH
practitioners. Assuming that 80% of registered practitioners in both the allopathic and
AYUSH systems are available, the doctor-population ratio in the country is estimated to be
1:811. Budget allocations for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare during the last ten
financialyearsisat Annexure.
The Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare supports all States/UTs in strengthening
health systems for better preparedness against future pandemics and public-health
emergencies. Assistance includes upgrading health infrastructure, expanding laboratory and
surveillance networks, improving medical logistics, and installing Liquid Medical Oxygen
(LMO) tanks.
To build long-term national preparedness, the Pradhan Mantri–Ayushman Bharat Health
Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), with an outlay of ₹64,180 crore, has been
implemented. Key components include establishing/strengthening Integrated Public Health
Labs (IPHLs), Block Public Health Units (BPHUs), Critical Care Hospital Blocks (CCBs),
andexpandingthe Integrated HealthInformationPortalacross allStates/UTs.Further, during COVID-19, 1,225 PSA oxygen plants were set up nationwide to enhance
oxygen availability. The Ministry conducts periodic mock drills to ensure their regular
functioning.
*****Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) to (e) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.
2234foranswer on12.12.2025.
Annexure
(Rs. in crore in net)
Year BudgetEstimate RevisedEstimate
2015-16 31050.00 32819.00
2016-17 37061.55 38343.33
20l7-I8 47352.51 51550.85
2018-19 52800.00 54302.50
2019-20 62659.12 62659.12
2020-21 65011.80 78866.00
2021-22 71268.77 82920.65
2022-23 83000.00 76370.40
2023-24 86175.00 77624.79
2024-25 87656.90 86582.48