In Kerala, 800 government doctor positions are unfilled despite an increase in patient volume.

Many doctor positions in Kerala’s public hospitals are unfilled despite the high patient volume.

The Health Department projects an 800-doctor shortage, mostly among specialists. Hospitals in the district and taluk areas as well as Community Health Centers have 400 openings (CHCs).

It is still unclear whether the 1,200 positions proposed by the first Pinarayi Vijayan administration (2016–21) will allow for the appointment of doctors. The limitations placed by the Finance Department on the approval of new positions and appointments prohibit vacancies from being filled in a timely manner.

With each passing year, more people are requesting both outpatient (OP) and inpatient care.

9.25 lakh people sought care in the OP wing of the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital alone between January 2022 and January 2023. This was 8.9 lakh patients in 2021–2022, compared to 6.17 lakh in 2020–2021. In the same institution, 90,000 patients received IP treatment in 2018, compared to 62,000 patients in 2020–21.

Between 2019 and 2020, 45.15 lakh patients from CHCs to District Hospitals sought IP care. The figure surpassed 51 lakh in 2022–2023.

It was previously claimed that the growing shortage of doctors in the public healthcare system is due to the unwillingness of qualified medical experts to work in government institutions, despite the fact that a State employment is generally prized. The National Rural Health Mission frequently provides temporary doctors to lead the show in government hospitals.

It is common knowledge that recent MBBS graduates across the nation are reluctant to accept required postings in rural areas due to the lack of amenities at Primary Health Centers and the inconveniences associated with living or working in villages. Why so many doctors in Kerala continue to avoid government employment is baffling.