Parliament Question: Shortfall of doctors and medical specialists in Government hospitals

GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE RAJYASABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 1255 TO BE ANSWERED ON10.02.2026 SHORTFALLOFDOCTORSAND MEDICALSPECIALISTS IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS 1255.SMT.RAJANI ASHOKRAO PATIL: Will the Ministerof HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate: (a) whether Government has assessed the current shortfall of doctors and medical specialists in Government hospitals, particularly in rural and aspirational districts of Maharashtra; (b) the detailsof vacancies across differentcadres, State-wise anddistrict-wise; (c) the reasons for persistent vacancies despite repeated recruitment drives, incentives andbondpolicies; (d) the impact of such staff shortages on patient outcomes, quality of care and service deliveryinpublic health facilities; and (e) the concrete measures takenor proposed toensure equitabledeployment andretention of medical professionals across States, including hardship allowances, compulsory rural service andstrengthening of medicaleducationcapacity? ANSWER THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE (SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV) (a)& (b): The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare provides technical and financial support to the States/UTs including Maharashtra to strengthen the public healthcare system, based on the proposals received in the form of Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs)under National Health Mission (NHM). Government of India provides approval for the proposals inthe form of Recordof Proceedings (RoPs) aspernorms& availableresources. Health Dynamics of India (HDI) (Infrastructure & Human Resources), 2022-23 is an annual publication, based on Health care administrative data reported by States/UTs. The shortfall of doctors and medical specialists in Government hospitals and the details of vacancies across different cadres in rural areas of the country including Maharashtra can be accessed at the following link of HDI2022-23: https://mohfw.gov.in/sites/default/files/Health%20Dynamics%20of%20India%20%28Infrastr ucture%20%26%20Human%20Resources%29%202022-23_RE%20%281%29.pdf (c) to (e). The primary responsibility of strengthening public healthcare system, including filling up of the vacancies in Government Hospitals lies with the respective State/UT Governments. States/ UTs to ensure availability of HR by creating adequate number of regular posts as per the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) in the long run and using NHM posts in the short to medium term to fill critical gaps. The NHM supplements the regular human resources by filling up the gaps in human resources in secondary and primary care facilities (District Hospital andbelow) asperIPHS. Under NHM, following types of incentives and honorarium are provided for encouraging doctors and paramedics to practice in rural and remote areas of the country to mitigate the impactof shortage of staff on patientcare: • Hard area allowance to specialist doctors for serving inrural and remote areasand for their residential quarters so that they find it attractive to serve in public health facilitiesinsuch areas. • Honorarium to Gynaecologists/ Emergency Obstetric Care (EmOC) trained, Pediatricians & Anesthetist/ Life Saving Anaesthesia Skills (LSAS) trained doctors is also provided to increase availability of specialists for conducting Cesarean Sections inrural & remote area. • Incentives like special incentives for doctors, incentive for Auxiliary Nurse and Midwife (ANM) for ensuring timely Antenatal Checkup (ANC) checkup andrecording, incentives for conducting Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health activities. • States are also allowed to offer negotiable salary to attract specialist including flexibilityinstrategies such as“YouQuote We Pay”. • Non-Monetary incentives such as preferential admission in post graduate courses for staff serving in difficult areas and improving accommodation arrangement in rural areashave also beenintroduced underNHM. • Multi-skilling of doctors is supported under NHM to overcome the shortage of specialists. Skill upgradation of existing HR is another major strategy under NRHM for achievingimprovement inhealthoutcomes. 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. Further, there is an increase of 111.36% in Medical Colleges in the country from 387 in2014to818asof now. There isalso anincrease of 151.18% inMBBS seats from 51,348in 2014 to 1,28,976 as of now and increase of 172.63% in PG seats from 31,185 in 2014 to 85,020asof now. The measures/steps taken by the Government to increase the doctors/medical professionals inthe countryinclude:-  Centrally Sponsored Scheme for establishment of new medical college by upgrading district/ referral hospital under which 157 medical colleges have been approved.  Centrally Sponsored Scheme for strengthening/ upgradation of existing State Government/Central Government Medical Colleges to increase MBBS and PG seats. Under “Upgradation of Government Medical Colleges by construction of Super Specialty Blocks” of Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) scheme, a totalof 75projects have beenapproved.  Under the Central Sector Scheme for setting up of new AIIMS, 22 AIIMS have beenapproved.  DNB qualification has been recognized for appointment as faculty to take care of shortage of faculty.  Enhancement of age limit for appointment/ extension/ re-employment against posts of teachers/Dean/Principal/ Director inmedicalcollegesupto70years.  Family Adoption Programme (FAP): The FAP has been incorporated into the MBBS curriculum to provide equitable healthcare access to rural population. FAP involves medical collegesadopting villages and MBBS students adopting families within these villages. This enables regular follow-up of adopted families for vaccination, growth monitoring, menstrual hygiene, Iron & Folic Acid (IFA) supplementation, healthy lifestyle practices, nutrition, vector control, and medication adherence. It also helps in educating families about ongoing governmenthealthprogrammes.  District Residency Programme (DRP): The DRPnotified by the NMC provides for a compulsory three months posting cum training of PG medical students at District Hospitals as a part of the course curriculum. DRP benefits the public by strengthening healthcaredeliveryinrural andunderserved areas. *****