The government has submitted official statistics to the parliament stating that in India, there is one doctor for every 1,457 people as per the countrys current population. The estimate is lower as per the World Health Organization’s norm of one doctor per 1000 citizen.

As on January 31, a little over 11.57 lakh allopathic doctors were recently registered with the state medical councils and the Medical Council of India. News agency PTI reported that Minister of State for Health Ashwini Choubey replied to a question in Rajya Sabha on July 2 that as per an assumption, 80 per cent availability is estimated which counts around 9.26 lakh doctors might be actually available for active service to citizens.

Choubey also said that besides commonly-visited allopathic doctors, there are around 7.88 lakh Ayurveda, Unani and Homeopathy (AUH) doctors in the country.

PTI report also mentioned that around 80% availability of the doctors and estimated around 6.30 lakh Ayurveda, Unani and Homeopathy (AUH) doctors might be actually available for service. And the collective figures with that of allopathic doctors in the country, it gives a doctor-population ratio of 1:868.

Also, the PTI reported that as per data given by the Indian Nursing Council (INC) there are around 30.4 lakh nursing personnel registered in the country as on December 31, 2018. Choubey also added, 60 per cent availability in the case of registered nurses, registered midwives and nurse midwives, it is estimated that around 20 lakh nursing personnel are available for active services. This data gives a nurse-population ratio of about 1:675 against WHO norms 3:1000 (population taken as 135 crores). Choubey was replying to a question on the shortage of doctors and nurses in the country.