Take Care of our Caretakers
Sarath Shyam, Managing Editor
In the next two decades, the world would need an additional 2.6 million doctors and over nine million nurses and midwives to ensure equitable and accessible healthcare for everyone. When it comes to the availability of skilled human resource in the healthcare sector, however, there is no much difference between the developed countries and the developing countries. Both are struggling to find an adequate number of trained and qualified workforces to fix the supply-demand gap of medical professionals, especially physicians, nurses and paramedics. In India, the ratio of 0.7 doctors and 1.5 nurses per 1,000 people is significantly lower than the World Health Organisation's (WHO) global average of 2.5 doctors and nurses per 1,000 people. As per the estimates, we need an additional 1.54 million doctors and over 2.4 million nurses today to match the global average.
While, the severe shortage of qualified medical professionals is growing every year, India as one of the largest producers of skilled human resources in the world needs to put checks and balances to limit the outflow of its healthcare professionals. As the foremost example of managed migration of nursing workforce, it is worthy to mention here about the Philippines, the largest supplier of nurses in the world. It was reported that at one point of time, around 85 percent of Filipino Nurses were working in abroad, resulting in the shutdown of over 200 hospitals in that country. To avoid such scenarios, India needs to understand the fundamental reason behind the migration of healthcare professionals from the system. Though we are proud about our nurses who are offering a great service to the people of other countries, we need to formulate an effective strategy to retain them so that the people in our country can also experience a better healthcare service.
With twin challenges of migration and shortage to be addressed, unequivocally, the Indian healthcare education system would play pivotal role in the nation's well-being. For those who wish to be a part of this sector, we have come up with 'Top 10 Promising Nursing Colleges in India 2017' - a list of educational institutions that have been producing skilled nurses who can be the backbone of the Indian healthcare system. On the cover, we feature Charnock Healthcare Institute, a unique medical education institute that has been creating quality workers for all levels of healthcare delivery.
Enjoy Reading.
While, the severe shortage of qualified medical professionals is growing every year, India as one of the largest producers of skilled human resources in the world needs to put checks and balances to limit the outflow of its healthcare professionals. As the foremost example of managed migration of nursing workforce, it is worthy to mention here about the Philippines, the largest supplier of nurses in the world. It was reported that at one point of time, around 85 percent of Filipino Nurses were working in abroad, resulting in the shutdown of over 200 hospitals in that country. To avoid such scenarios, India needs to understand the fundamental reason behind the migration of healthcare professionals from the system. Though we are proud about our nurses who are offering a great service to the people of other countries, we need to formulate an effective strategy to retain them so that the people in our country can also experience a better healthcare service.
With twin challenges of migration and shortage to be addressed, unequivocally, the Indian healthcare education system would play pivotal role in the nation's well-being. For those who wish to be a part of this sector, we have come up with 'Top 10 Promising Nursing Colleges in India 2017' - a list of educational institutions that have been producing skilled nurses who can be the backbone of the Indian healthcare system. On the cover, we feature Charnock Healthcare Institute, a unique medical education institute that has been creating quality workers for all levels of healthcare delivery.
Enjoy Reading.
