India is losing its doctors to other countries. Despite rising literacy rate, the country is facing a growing crisis since the doctors of the country are being taken away by other countries, especially the United States. The latest statistics reveal that in the United States, for 1,325 Americans, one doctor exists, and there is only one doctor for every 2,400 Indians in India.
These figures indicate extreme imbalances and point out that a scarcity of medical practitioners had reached a critical point within the country; now, the migration out of the country is worsening the trend. Indian doctors seek greener pastures abroad, and scores leave India in droves-a fact that compounds the already complicated problem of a healthcare system trying to cater to its ever-growing populations.
Brain drain is becoming a hot topic increasingly so because, according to many, India is losing its doctors to other countries. “We need at least 100 new medical colleges with a capacity of 1,000 students each to even begin addressing this problem,” says one concerned citizen. But, though, the spotlight appears to be more on highway construction and trains than on building a healthcare system. Many feel that without a significant investment in medical education, the crisis of doctors leaving will only continue.
India is losing its doctors and engineers to other countries in a big number: What is the solution?
For instance, it has been proposed that the returning doctors from India after working abroad for some years can be made tax-free. They can return to their country and contribute to the health system of their nation without any fiscal penalty. Still, others believe that more is needed to shift this landscape. “Ditch reservation and income tax on personal income,” says one indignant citizen, pointing to the fact that the most creditworthy doctors leaving India come from the general category. They have been harassed by high cutoff marks and rising medical seats.
Add to this the fact that there is a scarcity of job opportunities for PhD holders and experienced engineers; people are moving away to other lands. Places like Dubai and Hong Kong, which incur no tax on income, also have tremendous appeal to Indian professionals, who can now send back their earnings maximized to the maximum extent. Doctors continue to leave India, and it should be quite obvious that the nation’s healthcare system needs reforms to put a stop to this brain drain.
Also, see: Can A Doctor Be Jailed For Wrong Treatment?
