Shortage of Doctors : Any Solution ?

 My friend Kalpana Desai asked :

“The proportion of doctor to population is very low...specially in rural India....can u share your views regarding this and a viable solution so all may benefit and make the world a better place for all. “

Before suggesting a solution , let us study following data :

( A )   Number of Medical Colleges in India

Ø  Total No ……… 706 ……… having……  108,940  seats

Ø  Private ………… 365 ……. having ……  52,193    seats ….  (  Fee  >  Rs  10-25 lakh / year )

Ø  Govt ……………  350 …..  having…..     56,748    seats ….  (  Fee  >  Rs  1 – 3 lakh  / year )

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( B )    Number of Hospitals

Ø  Government …………….. 25,778

Ø  Private ……………………….43,486 ( only Allopathic )

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( C )   Number of Doctors

Country Name

Doctors per 1,000 Population

Austria

5.2

Norway

5.1

Switzerland

4.9

Germany

4.8

Spain

4.6

Italy

4.3

Australia

4.0

United Kingdom

3.7

United States

3.5

Japan

3.4

India

~1.0**

( D )    Number of Students appearing in NEET exam :

· Year

· No. of Candidates Appeared

· Percentile Requirement

· Candidates Met Requirement

· Candidates Failed Requirement

·          2021

·          16,14,777

·          50th (General) / 40th (Others)

·          ~8,70,074

·          ~7,44,703

·          2022

·          18,72,343

·          50th (General) / 40th (Others)

·          ~9,93,069

·          ~8,79,274

·          2023

·          20,38,596

·          50th (General) / 40th (Others)

·          ~11,45,976

·          ~8,92,620

·          2024*

·          24,00,000

·          50th (General) / 40th (Others)

·          ~13,20,000

·          ~10,80,000

Despite domestic push in Budget 2025, medical students likely to stick to studying abroad

( Eco Times / 6 Feb 2025 )

Dear Shri J P Naddaji

( Health Minister / jpnadda@gmail.com / min-hfm@gov.in / jp.nadda@sansad.nic.in )

In her budget speech last week, Smt Sitharamanji announced that the Govt will add 10,000 additional seats ( presumably in Govt Medical colleges where annual tuition fees are Rs 10,000 / - as against Rs 1 CRORE , for 4 year MBBS degree course , in Private colleges ) . Over the next 5 years , Govt plans to add 75,000 new seats

Even if this bold plan were to materialize , it comes no-where near the demand for seats considering that in NEET-UG 2025 exam , some 25 lakh students are expected to appear

Among many things that could be – and should be – tried , one is :

Creation of a VIRTUAL MEDICAL UNIVERSITY , where aspiring students can attend lectures from their homes

This could have many formats such as :

Ø  A dedicated TV Channel ( or several TV Channels , for each stream of specialization, Eg : Dentistry – Ophthalmology – Pathology – Nursing etc )

Ø  Several YouTube Video Channels ( different as above )

Ø  Several Web Portals – each dedicated to a given specialization

Ø  Many Mobile Apps

Ø  “ AR – VR – AI “ Eye Glasses-based learning of PRACTICALS ( including Surgical Procedures , LIVE STREAMED from each and every OPERATION THEATRE from each and every HOSPITAL ). By appropriate Govt-level tie-ups , such LIVE STREAMING ( accompanied by an highly experienced Medical Doctor – Professional explaining each step of the procedure ) , would substitute the shortage of Medical Hospitals / Colleges. Registered examinees / students will login with Password and Facial Recognition . Initially , students will learn to perform simple “ Surgical Procedures “ using their AR-VR-AI enabled Eye-glasses. Using same devices, they will give exams. Gradually – and under supervision of Expert Surgeons, they will be allowed to perform “ Remote Surgeries “ ( gradually from simple to complex ), using ROBOTS

Ø   Exams of students will also be conducted in HYBRID METHOD for NEET as recommended by Radhakrishnan Committee and already implemented at > https://www.my-teacher.in/test-basic-details-form . Just like MCSE ( Microsoft Certified Software Engineer ) certificate , a registered student can appear on such ONLINE exams whenever she is ready

Ø  In all of the above-mentioned ALTERNATIVES , Artificial Intelligence will be playing a CENTRAL ROLE in terms of :

#  Syllabus / Curriculum development

#  Pedagogy

#  Exam Generation and Testing / Candidate Assessment

#   Certification / Registration

Ø  “ Virtual Medical University “ eco-system will have dynamic access to the Medical History database of all the persons registered under Ayushman Bharat Scheme ( currently approx.. 40 crore persons ). This “ database “ will be used for “ training “ of MEDICAL AI AGENT

Ø  In addition to this, over a period of next 5 years, MEDICAL AI AGENT will train itself by being “ internet connected “ with all the Health Monitoring Devices , as envisaged in my following blog / email :

# https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/07/2024-v-20-of-orwellian-1984.html . 7 July 2017

Extract :

There are 7,000 million people on the earth It is possible that , at any given time , some 7 million of these are lying in ICU , connected with : Electroencephalogram ( Brain Monitor ) Electrocardiogram      ( Heart Monitor ) Pulse Rate Meter Oxygen Level Meter Glucose Level Meter........etc As soon as these instruments get embedded with Internet of Things ( IoT ), a central server could collect all of these " measurements / readings " on 247 basis , for all 7 million persons  Then it will combine these readings with following data about each of those 7 million persons : Country / Region / City  /  Language Race /  Religion  /  Gender /  Age Height /  Weight  /  Colour  /  Biometrics Blood Group / DNA  / Past Medical History.....etc It will also record , who died / when  ! Using such massive data base, can BIG DATA / Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning , figure out what " Customized healthcare / Medical treatment / Supplementary diet " should be " prescribed " for each human on this earth ? Shall we support such " Invasion of Individual Privacy " , in the larger interest / benefit of entire mankind ? I think , we should

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With regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.My-Teacher.in /  06 Feb 2025

Social Media Ills

 Article link: Protecting Children from Social Media Ills

Extract from the article:

The article highlights Australia's consideration of setting a minimum age requirement for social media use between 14 and 16 to encourage real-life interactions among children.

This move has sparked discussions globally, including in India, about the need to regulate children's access to the virtual world.

Many countries are grappling with the challenge of balancing children's engagement with social media and ensuring they have sufficient real-world interactions for healthy development.

This initiative aims to address concerns about the potential negative impact of excessive social media use on children's mental health and well-being.

By deliberating on age restrictions and promoting offline activities, Australia is at the forefront of exploring measures to safeguard children in the digital age. The proposal also raises important questions about parental guidance, online safety, and the responsibilities of social media platforms in protecting young users.

My Take:

It is quite simple

"Reflecting on my earlier blog on age verification and consent management for young internet users, the current discourse on setting a minimum social media age resonates profoundly.

Suggesting a stringent verification process tied to Aadhar ID for downloading apps seems even more relevant now. This approach could potentially align with Australia's considerations by adding an extra layer of protection for young users in India."

"In light of the ongoing discussions about age-gating and parental consent on social media platforms, the idea of leveraging Aadhar ID for app downloads gains significance.

As India and other countries explore similar age-related regulations, the emphasis on verifying users' identities before granting access to online content becomes crucial. This aligns with the broader theme of protecting children from potential harms of unrestricted online activities."

Call to Action:

To policymakers and tech companies in India and beyond: Considering Australia's move towards setting a minimum social media age, it's imperative to collaborate on implementing effective age verification mechanisms and parental controls.

Strengthening regulations to safeguard children's online experiences should be a shared responsibility across governments and online platforms.

With regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.My-Teacher.in