India Witnesses 76 Pct Shortfall in Govt Doctors

Bangalore: A shocking shortfall of human resources in case of doctors, nurses and other healthcare personnel has been seen as per the latest available rural health statistics for 2011. According to the Planning Commission's draft, the country's government-run healthcare system is restricted due to the shortage of doctors by a shocking 76 percent, reported Subodh Varma for TOI. There are 53 percent fewer nurses, 88 percent fewer specialist doctors, radiographers are short by 85 percent and laboratory technicians are short by 80 percent.

What the shortage of staff means is that in many states where infrastructure is largely present, the absence of doctors and nurses makes the whole facility meaningless. Gujarat has only a 5 percent shortfall of community health centres but only 76 out of 1,220 specialists required are available. In Odisha, the number of community health centres is 377, though only 327 are required as per norms. But out of 1,570 specialists required, only 438 are at work.

After spending about 1 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) on health in the past five years, the government is suggesting an increase in public spending by half a percentage point to make it 1.58 percent for the coming five years (2012-17) under the 12th Plan.