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In Focus by The HinduAuthor: The Hindu
A podcast from The Hindu that delves deep into current developments with subject experts, and brings in context, history, perspective and analysis. Language: en Genres: News, News Commentary Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Does the WHO’s “benchmark” of 1 doctor per 1,000 people actually exist?
Tuesday, 16 December, 2025
For years, India’s political debates, parliamentary discussions, and health-policy arguments have leaned heavily on a simple figure of one doctor per 1000 people supposedly set by the World Health Organization or WHO But the WHO in a written reply to the Hindu has clarified that it has never actually recommended this ratio. This episode breaks down the history behind the 1:1000 myth, examines the WHO’s current SDG-linked framework for assessing health worker availability, and explores why India’s own data paints a far more uneven picture — from rural-urban gaps to ongoing disputes over counting AYUSH doctors. Guest: Siddhesh Zadey, health-systems researcher and co-founder of the Association for Socially Applicable Research (ASAR) Host: Devyanshi Bihani Edited by Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
