Doctor-Population Ratio in the Country Surpasses WHO Standard

In a significant revelation, Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel informed the Lok Sabha that the doctor-population ratio in India is 1:836, surpassing the World Health Organization's standard of 1:1000.

According to data from the National Medical Commission (NMC), there are 13,86,136 allopathic doctors registered nationwide as of July 2024. With an estimated 80% availability of these doctors and an additional 5.65 lakh AYUSH practitioners, the ratio highlights a positive trend in healthcare availability.

Patel further detailed the expansion in medical education facilities, citing 731 medical colleges with 1,12,112 MBBS seats and 72,627 PG seats. The government’s initiatives include the establishment of new medical colleges and the augmentation of existing ones under various centrally sponsored schemes, enhancing medical standards across the country.

(With inputs from agencies.)