'Indian Medical Council Bill is need of an hour', Dr Harsh Vardhan states India's doctor-population ratio to be lower than WHO norm

New Delhi, July 12: Waking ahead in developing the health sectors and deciding pathways to improvising related parameters, the government in a survey on Friday found that there were more than 19.47 lakh allopathy, ayurveda, unani and homeopathy doctors at the end of March this year.

 

 

Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan in the lower house today said that 11,59,309 allopathy doctors were registered with the Medical Council of India. "Assuming 80 per cent availability, it is estimated that around 9.27 lakh doctors may be actually available for active service”, he said

 

"It gives a doctor-population ratio of 1:1456 per current population estimate of 1.35 billion, which is lower than the WHO norm of 1:1000”, he added while addressing the lower house.

 

He also said that there were 7.88 lakh Ayurveda, Unani and Homeopathy (AUH) doctors in the country and assuming 80 per cent availability, the number of doctors available for service would be around 6.30 lakh, considering together with allopathic doctors, giving a doctor-population ratio of 1:867, which turns to be better than the WHO norm.