NEW DELHI: There is one doctor for every 1,445 Indians as per the country’s current population estimate of 135 crore, which is lower than the WHO’s prescribed norm of one doctor for 1,000 people, the government told Parliament on Tuesday.
Replying to a written question in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State for Health Ashwini Choubey said a total of 11,59,309 allopathic doctors were registered with the state medical councils and the Medical Council of India (MCI) as on March 31.
Assuming an 80-per cent availability, it was estimated that around 9.27 lakh doctors were available for active service, which put the allopathic doctor-patient ratio at 1:1445, the Minister said.
Besides, there were 7.88 lakh ayurveda, unani and homeopathy (AUH) doctors in the country and assuming an 80-per cent availability, it was estimated that around 6.30 lakh doctors practising traditional systems of medicine were available for service and considered together with allopathic doctors, it threw up a doctor-patient ratio of 1:860, Choubey said. (AGENCIES)
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