30% posts for doctors vacant: Plan panel

The primary healthcare system in the country is facing an acute shortage of trained personnel.

The primary healthcare system in the country is facing an acute shortage of trained personnel with as many as 30 per cent of posts for doctors in government hospitals lying vacant, a planning commission report says.

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The draft Approach Paper to the 11th Plan done by the Planning Commission states that random checks showed that 29-67 per cent doctors were absent from work.

"This problem of unavailability of doctors can be redressed if we mobilise doctors who are trained under Indian Systems of Medicine (ISM) like ayurveda, yoga, unani, siddha and homeopathy," the paper which is now with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his views and approval said.

There are 1,48,000 health sub-centres, 42,000 primary health centres, 3,500 functioning community health centres for allopathic treatment, 23,000 ISM dispensaries and 3,100 ISM hospitals under the domain of the primary healthcare system.

While 59,000 beds across rural India serve modern medicine systems, there are another 53,000 beds under the ISM.

"The trained ISM practitioners represent a valuable human resource at the village and block levels. This could be leveraged and co-opted into providing primary healthcare," the Paper said.