Shortage of 10 lakh MBBS doctors: Azad

Jammu: Shortage of 10 lakh MBBS doctors in the country is affecting health-care delivery system in rural areas, Union Health and Family Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today said.

"There are seven lakh doctors in the country against a requirement of 17 lakh, leaving a deficit of 10 lakh doctors. This is directly affecting the health-care delivery system in rural areas," he said. Azad was a public meeting at Kilhotran in Gandoh tehsil of Doda district. He said though the Centre was providing adequate funds for construction of hospitals, there was shortage of MBBS doctors. Azad said to provide better health-care in rural areas, the Union Health Ministry and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) were amending the syllabus of MBBS doctors who are undergoing training. After the changes in the syllabus, trainee doctors would have to serve in villages for one year before getting MBBS degree. He said the Union Health Ministry would launch a scheme under which 100 districts of the country would be covered in the first phase. As part of the scheme, free check ups and diabetes tests will be conducted in males and females above the age of 30 years at the nearest PHC, while for pregnant women there will be no age bar for conduct of the test. PTI