1 in 8 doctors across the country is from Tamil Nadu
But, Doctor Distribution Not Uniform
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Chennai:12.07.2019
Nearly one in eight doctors in the country is from Tamil Nadu. The state, which has 12% of the total number of doctors in the country, is second only to Maharashtra, which has about 15% of thecountry’s doctors, Union health minister Harsh Vardhan told Parliament. Almost simultaneously, the issue was debated in the assembly on Friday.
Replying to Mohammed Javed (Congress) on the shortage of doctors, Harsh Vardhan said there were 11.59 lakh allopathic doctors registered with the state and Medical Council of India (MCI) until March 31. “Assuming 80% availability, it is estimated that around 9.27 lakh doctors may be actually available for active service,” he said. This would mean a doctor-population ratio of 1:1,456 as per the population estimate of 1.35 billion, against the WHO norm of 1:1,000.
The Centre enhanced the maximum intake capacity at MBBS to 250 seats, relaxed norms for setting up medical colleges in terms of requirement of land, faculty, staff, bed strength and other infrastructure and strengthened existing state government colleges to increase medical seats.
Tamil Nadu has 1.3 lakh doctors against 1.7 lakh in Maharashtra. Karnataka has 1.2 lakh and Andhra Pradesh about a lakh. With 77,549 doctors UP is among the top 5 states with most doctors.
“If you compare the number of doctors with the population, TN is better than any other state,” said TN Medical Services Corporation MD Dr P Umanath, who headed a committee on incentivising doctors in rural and remote areas. TN has 23 government colleges offering 3,250 MBBS seats and 2,050 seats in government-run private colleges and self-financing colleges and an almost equal number of seats in deemed varsities. But, distribution of doctors is not uniform, he said.
In the assembly on Friday, members said many PHCs in their constituencies either had no doctors or didn’t have adequate number.
DMK’s R Masilamani ( Mailam), a doctor, said, “We want the health department to appoint sufficient doctors for PHCs in our areas. They must be open for patients round the clock.” Congress’ K R Ramaswamy said several posts in the Sivaganga Medical College Hospital and other government hospitals were vacant. Health minister C Vijayabaskar said government doctors were appointed through a medical recruitment board and through TNPSC.
“While there are more doctors in cities and tier-1 cities, the number of doctors in rural and remote areas is very low. This is why TN tries to incentivise doctors in difficult terrain. Government doctors in these areas get additional marks during PG admissions,” Umanath said.
But, Doctor Distribution Not Uniform
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Chennai:12.07.2019
Nearly one in eight doctors in the country is from Tamil Nadu. The state, which has 12% of the total number of doctors in the country, is second only to Maharashtra, which has about 15% of thecountry’s doctors, Union health minister Harsh Vardhan told Parliament. Almost simultaneously, the issue was debated in the assembly on Friday.
Replying to Mohammed Javed (Congress) on the shortage of doctors, Harsh Vardhan said there were 11.59 lakh allopathic doctors registered with the state and Medical Council of India (MCI) until March 31. “Assuming 80% availability, it is estimated that around 9.27 lakh doctors may be actually available for active service,” he said. This would mean a doctor-population ratio of 1:1,456 as per the population estimate of 1.35 billion, against the WHO norm of 1:1,000.
The Centre enhanced the maximum intake capacity at MBBS to 250 seats, relaxed norms for setting up medical colleges in terms of requirement of land, faculty, staff, bed strength and other infrastructure and strengthened existing state government colleges to increase medical seats.
Tamil Nadu has 1.3 lakh doctors against 1.7 lakh in Maharashtra. Karnataka has 1.2 lakh and Andhra Pradesh about a lakh. With 77,549 doctors UP is among the top 5 states with most doctors.
“If you compare the number of doctors with the population, TN is better than any other state,” said TN Medical Services Corporation MD Dr P Umanath, who headed a committee on incentivising doctors in rural and remote areas. TN has 23 government colleges offering 3,250 MBBS seats and 2,050 seats in government-run private colleges and self-financing colleges and an almost equal number of seats in deemed varsities. But, distribution of doctors is not uniform, he said.
In the assembly on Friday, members said many PHCs in their constituencies either had no doctors or didn’t have adequate number.
DMK’s R Masilamani ( Mailam), a doctor, said, “We want the health department to appoint sufficient doctors for PHCs in our areas. They must be open for patients round the clock.” Congress’ K R Ramaswamy said several posts in the Sivaganga Medical College Hospital and other government hospitals were vacant. Health minister C Vijayabaskar said government doctors were appointed through a medical recruitment board and through TNPSC.
“While there are more doctors in cities and tier-1 cities, the number of doctors in rural and remote areas is very low. This is why TN tries to incentivise doctors in difficult terrain. Government doctors in these areas get additional marks during PG admissions,” Umanath said.
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