Doctors Reach 1.86 and Nurses 4.42 per 1,000 Population
The number of doctors and nurses available per 1,000 population has increased in Nepal. According to the Economic Survey 2082/083 made public by the government, there are 1.86 doctors and 4.42 nurses available per 1,000 population across the country.
The data, prepared on the basis of details of health workers registered with the Nepal Medical Council and Nepal Nursing Council up to Falgun 2082, shows that the availability of health human resources has been increasing. During the same period of the previous fiscal year, the number of nurses per 1,000 population was 2.86. However, the previous figure for doctors is mentioned in the available details only as “1 decimal.”
The Economic Survey also shows an expansion in the number of government health institutions. At present, a total of 8,976 health institutions are operating at the government level across the country. These include 420 hospitals, 181 primary health centers, 3,603 health posts, 426 Ayurvedic dispensaries, and 4,346 sub-health posts and basic health service centers.
The survey states that 18,640 beds are currently available in government health institutions. A total of 147,756 health human resources are working in these institutions. Of them, there are 7,030 doctors, 28,650 nurses and ANMs, 684 Kaviraj, 693 Vaidya, 16,313 health assistants, and 51,386 female community health volunteers.
Female community health volunteers have been playing a role in delivering basic health services to rural and remote areas. However, the survey shows that despite the expansion of health infrastructure and human resources, problems such as the shortage of specialist doctors, the challenge of retaining human resources in remote areas, and the lack of equipment in hospitals remain.
It has been mentioned that health services are being affected especially in districts outside Kathmandu due to the shortage of specialist doctors and skilled nurses.
