India has 1 doctor for every 834 persons, Centre tells Rajya Sabha

Assuming 80% availability of registered allopathic doctors and 5.65 lakh AYUSH doctors, India’s doctor-population ratio is 1:834, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

According to her, the country has 36.14 lakh nurses, or a nurse-to-population ratio of 1:476.

In a written response, Pawar stated that as of June 2022, 13,08,009 allopathic doctors were registered with the State Medical Councils and the National Medical Commission (NMC). This information was provided by the NMC.

“Assuming 80 per cent availability of registered allopathic doctors and 5.65 lakh AYUSH doctors, the doctor-population ratio in the country is 1:834,” she stated.

Pawar also said the government has increased the number of medical colleges and subsequently increased MBBS seats.

There is an increase of 82 per cent in medical colleges from 387 before 2014 to 706 as of now.

Further, there is an increase of 112 per cent in MBBS seats from 51,348 before 2014 to 1,08,940 as of now and PG seats have been increased to 127 per cent from 31,185 before 2014 to 70,674 as of now, the minister stated.

(with inputs from PTI)