Chennai: The doctor population ratio of India seems unhealthy as against WHO recommendation of 1:1000. The recent statistics by health ministry under National Health Profile-2018 shows that a government doctor serves a population of 11,082.
With the current population of around 127 crore, India has around 10,41,395 government doctors as per the latest statistics in the report. The ratio is even lower for government allopathic doctors as only about 11 per cent of the total registered doctors serve the government sector.
While 9,26,426 doctors are employed in private hospitals, only 1,14,969 are registered as government allopathic doctors. Thus, a private doctor serves to a population of 1375, while the government doctor-population ratio is 1:11,082.
The burden on government doctors is higher because a large population depends on government hospitals due to its affordability. Patients seek treatment under various government schemes, which are mostly not provided at private hospitals and this adds to the burden. Moreover, high cost of treatment is unaffordable for a large section of the population, say government doctors.
The total allopathy doctors including the ones in government and private sector, the ratio of doctor-population ratio is 1:1596, however, with 7.63 practitioners, along with allopathy doctors, the national average ratio improves to 1:921 also includes Ayurveda, Unani, Homeopathy and Ayush practitioners in the country.
Though pass percentage of students Tamil Nadu was as low as 39.55 in undergraduates Neet this year, the state has an adequate doctor population ratio of 1:921.
The state is ahead of national figures and has eight doctors per 10,000 people and proving to be the medical capital Chennai has more than 18 doctors per 10,000.
Tamil Nadu also has the benefit of Siddha practitioners and major research institutes in the state.
