Huge disparity in health services provided in urban and rural areas: Venkaiah Naidu

India is facing acute shortage of qualified doctors and trained paramedical personnel, said Vice President Venkaiah Naidu while addressing a gathering at the inauguration of a hospital here on Sunday.

"The concern is that there is a shortage of qualified doctors and trained paramedical personnel in the country. There is a shortage of 6 lakh doctors and 2 million nurses. We cannot allow such a situation to continue. The smaller towns and rural areas lack adequate facilities," said Naidu.

He said that the country is still facing formidable challenges in the health care sector including low-doctor patient ratio, inadequate infrastructure in rural areas etc.

"Although the average life expectancy has been increased and many infectious diseases have been eliminated, the country is still facing many formidable challenges in the health front including inadequate public spend, low doctor-patient ratio, inadequate infrastructure in rural areas, lack of penetration of health insurance and inadequate preventive mechanism," he said.

He said that the Centre and the state should keep in mind these things while planning and making policies related to health care. Naidu also said that there is a glaring gap in the rural and urban health care and it must end.

"These are the things that have to be kept in mind by the rulers at the centre, at the state, planners, and other stakeholders in public life. Despite the improved reach of health care delivery, the rural areas are lagging behind the urban counterparts, and there is a huge disparity in the health care services provided in urban and rural areas. This glaring gap in the urban and rural areas has to end and it is the time for the health sector to expand its footprints to the villages and remote rural areas," said Naidu.

"It will not suffice if you have health care facilities in Coimbatore, Chennai and Madurai etc and other major cities because you need to go to interiors. You cannot expect people to come all the way to Chennai for health requirements. Duty of government to give incentive to people who want to set up hospitals, health care facilities, training centres in rural areas, extra weight, extra preference, including tax incentive," he added.