In a country, where there is a huge shortage of doctors to treat humans, pet-owners have a reason to cheer as there enough vets to cater to their beloved pets. According to latest data, the country has 67,784 registered veterinary practitioners against the estimated requirement of 67,200 veterinary doctors.
While the availability of doctors/medical practitioners in country is even lesser than neighbouring countries as the nation has just has 0.7 doctors per 1,000 people, which is lower than Pakistan’s 0.8, China’s 1.5, and UAE’s 2.5.
Though, the Centre’s long-term strategies to increase the number of doctors to fill the gap is yet to take final shape, the Department of Animal Husbandry has proactively started taking steps to ensure a steady supply of vets.
In a reply to a question in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Sudarshan Bhagat informed that the data is based on entries made in the Indian Veterinary Practitioners’ Register (IVPR), which is being maintained by the Veterinary Council of India (VCI), and updated till March 31, 2015.
Spelling out the steps taken to meet the vet shortage, Bhagat said, “To meet the shortage of trained veterinary manpower, the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries in consultation with the VCI has taken various steps which includes revision of minimum standards of veterinary education regulations, 2008, increase in number of recognised veterinary colleges from 36 to 46 and increase in total number seats available in 17 veterinary colleges to 1,334 from 914 on the basis of infrastructure and facilities available in the colleges.”
Clarifying on the deployment of veterinary doctors, Bhagat informed the house that since animal husbandry is a state subject, veterinary services are provided by respective state government, including deployment of veterinary doctors and para-veterinarians as per their requirement. “Animal husbandry department does not maintain state/UT wise detail of veterinary doctors and para-veterinarians employed by the states/UTs,” the minister said.
In contrast, the public health system, especially medical facilities in rural areas, are in a pathetic condition due to the paucity of doctors.
According to a study by the Lancet, as of March 2015, 8 per cent of India’s 25,300 primary health centres had no doctor. More than 80 per cent of community health centres, where specialists practise, had no surgeons; 76 per cent had no obstetricians and gynaecologists, and 82 per cent had no paediatricians. The shortage comes despite India having more than 400 medical colleges, which take in roughly 50,000 students annually. Even so, the country needs at least 750,000 more doctors, Union Health Minister JP Nadda had said in January 2015. A large part of the shortfall every year is because thousands of doctors choose to leave India.