Every year on July 1st, National Doctor’s Day is celebrated in the memory of Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, a respected doctor and the second chief minister of West Bengal. This day is observed to appreciate and honor all the medical professionals who have unconditionally and selflessly aided in time of need. This years theme touches on the importance of honoring a doctor’s profession, fostering a resilient and highly skilled workforce, and maintaining their rights in the health system to meet the needs of individuals and community communities.

Doctors face several challenges in the healthcare system such as massive workloads and duties that can often lead to mental health issues, which can result in reduced efficiency and burnout. In healthcare units, long working hours and several shifts of doctors are common, which can harm their health. As of 2020, there are over 1.2 million doctors registered with the Indian Medical Council across the country. According to the current estimate of 135 crore people in India, however, the number only accounts for every 1,445 people, which is less than the WHO-recommended ratio of a doctor per 1,000 people.

A massive disparity was brought forth during the tough times of the pandemic by Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister, Health and Family Welfare in the Rajya Sabha. According to another Times of India report, there are currently over two lakh qualified doctors who are unemployed and can be effectively deployed to improve the basic healthcare services in the country. During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, online consultation became the norm while consulting the patients. As shown in a Pratco survey, 60% of doctors engaged in more than eight hours per day of online consultations during COVID-19, with teleconsultations seeing a 71% rise in demand from the pre-pandemic period.

(Source: https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/national-doctors-day-paying-tribute-to-white-coat-heroes/92587300 )