There is nearly 80 percent shortage of specialist doctors at Community Health Centres (CHCs) across rural India, according to a new government report, indicating that the rising number of seats in medicine has hardly had any impact on specialised healthcare delivery beyond cities. Union Health Secretary, Apurva Chandra released "Health Dynamics of India (Infrastructure and Human Resources) 2022-23", an annual publication formerly known as “Rural Health Statistics”, in New Delhi. The document has been published since 1992.
The Health Dynamics of India 2022-23 report released by the Union health ministry showed that only 4,413 specialist doctors of the requisite 21,964 needed in CHCs in March 2023 were available—a shortfall of 17,551 or 79.9 percent. There are 5,491 rural CHCs in 757 districts of the country. The data also showed that the availability of specialists at 868 CHCs in urban areas was slightly better at 56 percent.
Rural Community Health Centres are 30-bed facilities below district hospitals and provide secondary-level healthcare services to approximately 1.6 lakh people on average. In addition to a general duty medical officer, anaesthetist and paramedics, these are manned generally by four medical specialists: surgeon, physician, gynaecologist, and paediatrician.
Interestingly, the statistics reveal that the crisis of specialist doctors at rural CHCs may have worsened over the years. In comparison, the numbers show that at the primary health centres—the first point of contact between the community and a medical officer (normally an MBBS)—there is a shortfall of 976, or less than 4 percent, of doctors. To be sure, these are overall numbers and there are some states and Union Territories that are not experiencing any shortfall.
During the release, Central government emphasized the significance of the publication, highlighting its role in delivering essential insights into the manpower and infrastructure under the National Health Mission. Officials noted that the data is instrumental in identifying the needs of various states, prioritizing areas for improvement, and crafting policies and initiatives accordingly.
Health Ministry also underscored the importance of integrating the Health Management Information System (HMIS) with other Ministry portals, including the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) system. This integration would streamline the workload of healthcare professionals and ensure that data is uploaded promptly and analyzed accurately.
According to the report, as of March 31st of the previous year, India had over 169,000 Sub-Centres, nearly 32,000 Primary Health Centres, and 6,359 Community Health Centres, catering to both rural and urban populations. Additionally, the country is equipped with 1,340 Sub-Divisional and District Hospitals, 714 District Hospitals, and 362 Medical Colleges.
The healthcare infrastructure is bolstered by a workforce that includes more than 239,000 Health Workers at Sub-Centres, around 41,000 Doctors and Medical Officers at Primary Health Centres, and over 26,000 Specialists and Medical Officers at Community Health Centres. Moreover, Sub-Divisional and District Hospitals are staffed by 45,027 Doctors and Specialists. The report also highlights the presence of approximately 48,000 Staff Nurses at Primary Health Centres, over 51,000 Nursing Staff at Community Health Centres, and more than 135,000 Paramedical Staff at Sub-Divisional and District Hospitals across the nation.
