Chandigarh, Dec 19 (IANS) Haryana Health Minister Arti Singh Rao on Friday told the Assembly that the government is working to improve the doctor-population ratio by increasing MBBS seats through the establishment of new medical colleges, both in the public and private sectors.
She said while Haryana had only 700 MBBS seats in 2014, the number has now risen to 2,710. The minister was replying to a question by a member during the winter session of the Vidhan Sabha here.
Rao further informed the House that as per the reply of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in the Lok Sabha in 2018 the doctor-population ratio stood at one doctor per 1,000 people.
Referring to the data of the Haryana Medical Council of December 16, she said considering only allopathic doctors the ratio in the state is currently one doctor per 1,225 people.
When registered Ayurveda, Unani and Homeopathy (AUH) doctors are also included, the ratio improved to one doctor per 819 people.
Reiterating the government’s efforts, Rao said increasing the number of doctors remains a priority, and the state is continuously expanding medical education infrastructure in both public and private sectors to enhance MBBS intake.
She also highlighted the National Health Policy of 2017 and Indian Public Health Standards define benchmarks for the availability of health services, particularly in terms of population-to-hospital bed ratios.
As per these standards, the combined government health and medical education sector should have at least one hospital bed per 1,000 population, while including ESIC and private hospitals, the availability should be two beds per 1,000 population.
Responding to a supplementary question, the Health Minister said the number of District Civil Hospitals and Sub-Divisional Hospitals has increased from 56 in 2014 to 74.
Similarly, the number of Community Health Centres (CHCs) has gone up from 109 in 2014 to 122.
She said under the leadership of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini the government has made dialysis services free of cost in government hospitals.
In addition, economically weaker sections are being provided free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
The government firmly believes that healthcare is not a privilege but a fundamental right, and keeping this principle in mind, affordable and accessible health services are being ensured close to people’s homes across the state, the minister added.
–IANS
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