India has shortage of six lakh doctors: Trivedi

KOLKATA: India has a shortage of 600,000 doctors and 10 lakh nurses, Union Minister of State for Health Dinesh Trivedi said here Friday.

To combat the human resources shortage in the healthcare sector, Trivedi laid stress on more private-public partnerships.

"Currently there is a shortage of 6 lakh doctors and 10 lakh nurses," the minister said while addressing a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) programme.

Trivedi said he was not in favour of propagating health tourism because it would create more pressure on the healthcare system.

Trivedi said the union health ministry has adopted a three-pronged initiative in April that encompasses initiatives like a comprehensive National Health Portal, a 24-hour 3 digit National Emergency Media Service Number and I- HIND (Indian Health Improvement Network Information Development).