India needs more doctors — and how it can happen

Source: The post is based on the article “India needs more doctors — and how it can happen” published in “Indian express” on 16th October 2023.

Syllabus: GS2- Governance- Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health.

News: India has a shortage of doctors and medical education seats. Even with increased medical colleges and seats, the number of doctors per population is still low. Small college sizes and regulations make expansion tough. Private colleges face financial risks in scaling up. The government aims for equal distribution of colleges, but this can cause inefficiencies. Policies should address these growth barriers.

What are the current conditions for doctor availability in India?

Shortage in Medical Education: Despite increasing the number of UG and PG seats over the past decade, the demand for medical education still exceeds the supply of seats.

Growth in Medical Seats: Between 2010-11 and now, UG seats have nearly tripled, PG seats have almost quadrupled, and the number of medical colleges has doubled.

International Comparisons: In 2021, India recorded 4.1 medical graduates per lakh population, lagging behind countries like China (6.2 in 2018), the US (8.5 in 2021), and the UK (13.1 in 2021).

College Size Limitations: The average number of UG seats per college in India is 153. This is less compared to 220 in Eastern Europe and 930 in China.

Regulatory Barriers: Expanding seats in a public medical college involves increasing library books, daily OPD footfalls, and nursing staff, as per 2015 draft guidelines.

Challenges for Private Colleges: Private colleges face financial risks in scaling up, especially when seats remain vacant, leading to potential fee hikes.