Rural Health Statistics, 2021-22

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, released the Rural Health Statistics for the year 2021-22 on January 12, 2023. This annual publication, the first of which was released in the year 1992, provides data on infrastructure existing at various levels of the public healthcare system across states and union territories in the country. It contains data from sub centres (SCs), primary health centres (PHCs), community health centres (CHCs), sub-divisional hospitals, district hospitals and medical colleges for upto March 31, 2022. There were significant gaps in the infrastructure providing specialised care at CHCs, the report reveals. CHCs lacked 83.2 per cent of the required surgeons, 74.2 per cent of the required obstetricians and gynaecologists, 79.1 per cent of physicians and 81.6 per cent of the required paediatricians. “Overall, there is a shortfall of 79.5% specialists at the CHCs as compared to the requirement for existing CHCs,” the report adds. This 270-page document is divided into two parts: Part 1 contains an overview of healthcare system in India and Part 2 provides detailed state-wise statistics from rural, urban and tribal areas. Part 2 is divided into nine sections: Comparative Statements (Rural Areas) (Section I); District-wise Health Care Infrastructure in India (Section II); Demographic Indicators (Section III); Healthcare Infrastructure and Building position (Section IV); Status of Health Manpower in Rural areas (Section V); Status of Health Infrastructure in Rural areas (Section VI); Status of Infrastructure and Health Manpower in Urban areas (Section VII); Rural Health Care - Some parameters of achievement (Section VIII); and Health Infrastructure and Manpower in Tribal Areas (Section IX).