Critical Staffing Crisis: Over 20% Doctor Posts Vacant in Delhi's Top Govt Hospitals
New Delhi faces a severe healthcare staffing crisis, with more than one in five doctor positions and over 13% of nursing roles remaining vacant across three major central government hospitals in the capital. This persistent gap highlights significant challenges in India's premier public health institutions, raising concerns about patient care and medical education.
Alarming Vacancy Rates Across Key Hospitals
According to data recently tabled in the Rajya Sabha, the combined vacancy rate across Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences-Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, and Lady Hardinge Medical College stands at nearly 21% for doctors and 13.4% for nurses. In total, these hospitals have 1,471 sanctioned doctor posts, with 309 positions currently unfilled. For nursing services, 739 posts remain vacant out of a sanctioned strength of 5,499.
Individual Hospital Shortages Revealed
The data provides a detailed breakdown of vacancies at each institution. Doctor vacancies range from nearly 19% at Safdarjung Hospital to almost 23% at RML and Lady Hardinge Medical College. Nursing shortages are most acute at Lady Hardinge, where close to 19% of posts remain unfilled, further straining healthcare delivery systems.
Rural Health Training Centre Faces Extreme Staffing Crisis
The situation is particularly dire at the Rural Health Training Centre (RHTC), where more than a third of doctor posts and nearly nine out of ten nursing positions are vacant. Of the 46 sanctioned doctor posts, 16 remain unfilled, translating to a 34.8% vacancy rate. Meanwhile, 36 of the 41 sanctioned nursing posts are vacant, pushing the nursing vacancy rate to an alarming 87.8%. The centre also reports significant gaps in paramedical staff, compounding healthcare challenges in rural settings.
Government Response and Policy Measures
In response to parliamentary questions, Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav clarified that public health and hospitals are state subjects, with vacancy data for state government hospitals not maintained centrally. The figures provided relate exclusively to select central government institutions under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
To address the manpower shortage, the ministry outlined several initiatives:
- Expanding medical education infrastructure with 157 government medical colleges approved nationwide, 137 of which are already functional, prioritizing underserved and aspirational districts.
- Sanctioning 196 trauma care facilities across the country under the National Trauma and Burn Injury Programme.
- Supporting states through the National Health Mission with hard area allowances, special honorariums for specialists, flexible pay models, and non-monetary incentives such as preference in postgraduate admissions.
- Focusing on skill upgradation and multi-skilling of existing doctors to enhance workforce efficiency.
Impact on Healthcare Services and Medical Training
Health experts warn that prolonged vacancies in central government hospitals have serious consequences:
- Heavier workloads for existing staff, leading to potential burnout and reduced efficiency.
- Longer waiting times for patients seeking specialized care at these tertiary referral centres.
- Increased pressure on teaching and training programmes attached to these institutions, affecting medical education quality.
As tertiary referral centres, these hospitals cater to patients from across India, making staffing gaps more consequential than in smaller facilities. The vacancies not only strain healthcare delivery but also undermine the institutions' roles in medical research and training future healthcare professionals.
The staffing crisis underscores the urgent need for comprehensive strategies to attract and retain medical professionals in public health institutions, ensuring sustainable healthcare delivery for all citizens.
