An alarming shortage of specialist doctors
The shortage of specialist doctors in the country’s rural health centres is not new. The data released this week by the Union Health Ministry in a report has shown how large numbers of sanctioned posts of specialist doctors in rural health centres have remained vacant. Healthcare experts and social activists have highlighted the problem for many years. People have always complained about it. The Estimates Committee of parliament had expressed concern over the problem in a report in 2017. The problem may only have worsened since then because it is well-known that the number of specialists and doctors has not increased in keeping with the demand for them. The government’s claim that the doctor-patient ratio in the country has vastly improved has been questioned. In the case of specialist doctors, the shortage is very clear.
According to the report, there is a nearly 70% shortage in the number of specialist doctors in the rural health centres. The shortage is as high as 73% in the case of surgeons. Other specialists as well as even general physicians and paediatricians are also in short supply. Madhya Pradesh has only seven surgeons, against 332 sanctioned posts. Though Karnataka has 45 posts, there are only 16 doctors in those positions. The Karnataka High Court had last year issued notice to the state government over the shortage of doctors. Many serious ailments need to be treated by specialists and so their shortage would impact the health and welfare of large numbers of people. Medical knowledge has become so advanced that there are specialisation and super-specialisation in most areas now. The main reason for the shortage is the unwillingness of specialists to work in rural areas. Many specialists prefer to go abroad or to work in the private sector. That is the case with even doctors with a basic medical degree. It is also true that many rural health centres may not have the facilities needed by specialist doctors for diagnosis and treatment.
Patients in rural areas have to go to towns and cities for treatment, sometimes even for basic medical treatment. Most of them may not be able to afford the costs of travel and treatment away from their homes. The number of post-graduate seats in medical colleges have increased over the years, but the shortage of specialist doctors has continued. Several suggestions to address the problem, such as the creation of a new medical course, have been made, but they have not gone beyond discussions and debate. The population is increasing and so medical needs are also increasing. The challenge has also to be seen in light of the low budgetary allocation for health in the country.