The Union Health Ministry has presented a sobering assessment of India's healthcare infrastructure to Parliament, confirming that the nation continues to operate below essential global capacity benchmarks. The admission highlights a critical gap even as the country's patient burden sees a consistent rise.
Persistent Shortfall in Hospital Beds and Manpower
In a response to a query in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav provided detailed data. He stated that while the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) 2022 mandate a minimum of 1 bed per 1,000 people, numerous states are failing to meet this basic requirement. The situation appears more stark when compared to the World Health Organization (WHO) benchmark of 3.5 beds per 1,000 population, a target India remains "well below."
Official statistics from the government's annual Rural Health Statistics and the Health Dynamics of India report reveal significant disparities between states. Populous states are reportedly shouldering some of the most severe deficits in bed availability, creating an uneven landscape of healthcare access.
Doctor and Nurse Ratios: Growth Amidst Vacancies
On the crucial front of medical staffing, the minister shared figures that show growth but also point to distribution challenges. India currently has 13.86 lakh registered allopathic doctors and 7.51 lakh AYUSH practitioners. Assuming 80% availability, this translates to a doctor-to-population ratio of 1:811.
The nursing workforce stands at 42.94 lakh professionals, supported by 5,253 training institutions that produce close to 3.87 lakh nurses every year. Despite this pipeline, significant vacancies persist across government hospitals, indicating that production alone is not solving the on-ground shortage.
A Decade of Expansion Yet Ground Realities Lag
The government underscored substantial infrastructure growth over the last ten years. The number of medical colleges has jumped from 387 to 818, MBBS seats have increased from 51,348 to 1,28,875, and postgraduate seats have risen from 31,185 to 82,059.
Initiatives like establishing State Cancer Institutes, Tertiary Cancer Centres, and integrating oncology services in all new AIIMS campuses are also underway. However, Minister Jadhav conceded that public-health capacity remains uneven. Rural districts and smaller states continue to struggle, often falling short of meeting the IPHS norms for both infrastructure and human resources like doctors, nurses, and paramedics.
Filling existing vacancies, strengthening district and Community Health Centre (CHC) infrastructure, and ensuring state compliance with national standards have been identified as critical steps. These actions are paramount for India as it strives to bridge one of the world's most significant healthcare infrastructure gaps.
