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Delhi facing shortage of doctors: Assocham

NEW DELHI: Charitable trusts and government hospitals in and around Delhi are experiencing an acute shortage of qualified doctors, the number of which is estimated to have more than doubled this past decade, states a survey by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).

The survey has shown that the Capital is facing a shortage of up to 12,500 doctors as against around 6,000 a decade ago.

“The shortages of qualified doctors have gone to the extent that a small population of 5,500 doctors are burdened with taking care of a patient population of more than a crore,” reveal the findings.

Releasing the estimates, the Assocham secretary general, D. S. Rawat said: “ At present, leading government hospitals including All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, Safdarjung, Guru Teg Bahadur, Jaya Prakash Narayan and various dispensaries and leading health charitable trusts including Sir Ganga Ram Hospital have on their payrolls several thousand doctors. Since Delhi’s population is estimated at 1.3 crore, the number of existing doctor to treat its patient inflow is not that scarce as these can attend on patients inflow in Delhi’s various hospitals by working slightly more than for required hours.”

But the problem, he claims, is because Delhi being a lead medical centre, receives huge inflow of outside patients, particularly from States including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan and other parts of the country. “This influx ensures that the number of doctors in the Capital is inadequate as they have little time to serve the medical needs of Delhi’s patient,” added Mr. Rawat.

According to the survey, in view of the increased influx of the number of patients, the requirement for additional Delhi doctors has gone up by 12, 500 and the Capital urgently needs their services. “Therefore, it is recommended that recruitment’s to this effect should be made on priority basis,” said the Chamber’s analysis.

“Medical institutions of repute including AIIMS produce nearly 100 qualified doctors every year as against 180 of Maulana Azad and 100 of Lady Hardinge and as many of Safdarjung Hospital. One third of these prefer to pursue their post-graduation courses in various disciplines of medical branches,” said Mr. Rawat.

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