Severe dearth of clinics, health personnel in Delhi: Report

With only two clinics for every 10,000 people, Delhi is in urgent need of more clinics, dispensaries and and health personnel, an official report released here said Saturday.

"Despite a rise in clinics and dispensaries, the per capita availability of public health facilities in Delhi remains low at two clinics per 10,000 people," said the Delhi Human Development Report 2013

The report was released by Vice President Hamid Ansari along with Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit at a function held here.

"As of 2012, less than four government physicians were available for a population of over 10,000," it added.

According to the report, the need to improve healthcare facilities become all the more important, in view of the "considerable in migration and commuting experienced by Delhi and the resultant pressures on the health infrastructure".

In the area of early childhood mortality too, Delhi has not performed well with 28 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, thus necessitating closer attention to arresting neo-natal deaths.

Despite the shortcomings, the report said that life expectancy in Delhi has improved over the last three decades while people have shown a preference and growing reliance for publicly-provided healthcare facilities.