❖ There is nearly 80 percent shortage of specialist doctors at community health centres (CHCs) across rural India.

❖ The country has more than 1 lakh 69 thousand Sub-Centres, approximately 32,000 Primary Health Centres, and 6,359 Community Health Centres.

❖ Additionally, there are 1,340 Sub-Divisional and District Hospitals, 714 District Hospitals, and 362 Medical Colleges.

❖ 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 availability of specialists at 868 CHCs in urban areas was slightly better at 56 percent.

❖ There are 27,304 doctors and specialists employed across 714 district hospitals in the country, against a sanctioned strength of 33,964.

❖ It means that nearly 20 percent of these seats are vacant.

❖ India’s doctor-population ratio now is 1:836—higher than the WHO prescribed ratio of 1 doctor per 1000 population.