Imbalance in the growth of medical colleges and institutions in the country is affecting the delivery of health care to people, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said in the Lok Sabha Friday.
"There is imbalanced growth of medical colleges and institutions and availability of medical specialists in the country is affecting the delivery of health care to people across the country," the minister said in a written reply.
He said that the health ministry has reviewed regulations of the Medical Council of India for setting up of medical colleges and amendments have been made to address the geographic and rural-urban imbalance of medical institutions.
In hilly areas and notified tribal areas, North-eastern states and union territories of Andaman and Nicobar islands, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Lakshadweep, medical colleges can be established in two separate pieces of land at a distance of not more than 10 km, he said.
Harsh Vardhan also added that there is a centrally sponsored scheme for establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing district hospitals.