Pandemic study reveals lack of trained health personnel

What is the News?

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) have released a report titled ‘Health Workforce in India-Why, Where and How to Invest’.

What are the Key Findings of the Report?

Nurse to Doctor Ratio:

The nurse to doctor ratio in India is estimated to be 1.7:1. This is too low when compared with most OECD countries where there are 3-4 nurses per doctor. 

Moreover, the Indian High-Level Expert Group (HLEG) recommendation for the nurse-doctor ratio in India stood at 3:1.

When compared state wise, the nurse to doctor ratio ranges from Punjab (6.4:1) and Delhi (4.5:1) on the higher side and Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh having less than one nurse per doctor. 

Even in Kerala, where the number of nurses is very high, the worker nurse to doctor ratio was less than 1:1.

Note: According to the 15th Finance Commission, a nurse-to-population ratio in India is at 1:670 as against the WHO norm of 1:300. 

Allied Health Workers to Doctor Ratio

The ratio of allied health workers to doctors is estimated to be 1:1.

When compared state wise, there are large variations across states, ranging from more than five allied personnel per allopathic doctor in Himachal Pradesh to as low as one-tenth (0.1) allied health professionals per doctor in Bihar.

Source: This post is based on the article “Pandemic study reveals lack of trained health personnel” published in TOI on 21st Sep 2021.