Shillong: Meghalaya suffers from a severe medical shortage. The state counts only 23.8 allopathic doctors for every 100,000 residents, roughly one doctor for every 4,200 people. This sits well below the national average of 61.5 doctors for every 100,000 people. A recent study in Health Policy and Planning revealed these stark numbers.
Specialist care is even harder to find. Fewer than half of the state's 320 sanctioned specialist positions are currently filled. Most doctors work in East Khasi Hills. Some remote districts have no specialists at all. This geographic imbalance creates horizontal inequity, forcing patients to travel long distances for basic care. Women make up most of the health workforce, yet hold only 5% of specialist roles.
Non-communicable diseases now cause 56% of the state's total disability-adjusted life years, a sharp climb from 28% in 1990. Patients suffering from diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and cancer require consistent monitoring that the current system cannot provide. Ankur Nair, Pratheeba John, and Rajeev Sadanandan of the Health Systems Transformation Platform-India authored the report.
The 2024 Human Resources for Health reforms propose a public health cadre and rural incentives to lure doctors to distant regions. Researchers remain skeptical that these rules alone will fix the gaps. As the authors stated, "Policy design alone is insufficient to overcome existing workforce gaps," particularly in tribal and remote communities.
Real success depends on retention. Posting a doctor on paper does not guarantee they stay in the field. Officials must now move beyond policy documents to ensure residents in remote areas can actually see a qualified professional when they get sick.
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