Severe Staff Shortage in Delhi’s Top Government Hospitals, Central Government Data Reveals

New Delhi: Delhi’s three major government hospitals are grappling with a significant shortage of doctors and medical staff, causing delays and strain in patient care, according to official data presented in the Rajya Sabha. The statistics reveal that one in five doctor positions is vacant, while 13% of nursing posts remain unfilled.

Hospital-wise Breakdown

• Safdarjung Hospital: 19% of doctor positions vacant
• Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (ABVIMS): 23% of doctor posts vacant
• Lady Hardinge Medical College: 23% doctor vacancies; 19% nursing posts vacant

Across these hospitals, 1,471 sanctioned doctor positions exist, of which 309 are vacant. For 5,499 nursing posts, 739 remain unfilled.

Rural Health Training Center (RHTC) in Critical Condition

The shortage is even more severe in RHTC, where 34.8% of doctor positions and a staggering 87.8% of nursing posts remain vacant. Paramedical staff positions are also critically underfilled, highlighting a severe gap in rural healthcare infrastructure.

Government Measures

Union Health Minister Prataprao Jadhav noted that staffing data for state hospitals is not maintained centrally; the figures pertain only to central government-run institutions. To address the shortage, the government has:

• Expanded medical education infrastructure, approving 157 government medical colleges nationwide.
• Prioritized staffing in under-served and remote districts.
• Strengthened trauma care facilities under the National Trauma and Burn Program with 196 facilities approved.
• Provided incentives, higher allowances, better pay, and postgraduate admission preferences to encourage doctors to serve in rural and remote areas.

Impact on Current Staff and Patients

Experts warn that prolonged vacancies increase the workload on existing staff, causing longer patient wait times and straining teaching and training programs in hospitals. These central hospitals cater to patients from across India, amplifying the impact of staff shortages compared to smaller hospitals.