New Delhi: Government on Tuesday said there was
one doctor in the country for every 2,000 population as there
were six lakh active allopathic practitioners in the country.
Providing the figures in the Rajya Sabha today, Minister
of Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad said that with
the doctor-population ratio of 1:2000, the government was
taking a number of steps to address the shortage of doctors,
specialists and faculty in the country.
He said as per information from the Medical Council of
India (MCI), the total number of doctors registered
(allopathic) in the country till July 31, 2011, is 8,56,065.
Listing the steps taken for increasing the number of
doctors, the minister said norms for setting up of a medical
college have been relaxed, intake capacity at MBBS level has
been increased from 150 to 250 and 46 new medical colleges
were set up between 2009-11.
Azad added the teacher-student ratio has been relaxed to
increase the seats at post-graduate level, maximum age for
appointment of faculty has been enhanced from 65 to 70 years
and DNB qualifications have been recognized for appointment to
various faculty posts in medical colleges.
Besides, he said, financial support to state medical
colleges is being provided under the scheme "Strengthening and
upgradation of State Government Medical Colleges" to increase
postgraduate seats in various disciplines or start new
postgraduate medical courses.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, November 29, 2011, 23:25