The Health and Family Welfare Minister Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad said the professional standard of Indian doctors is far better than their counterparts in the world. Replying to questions in the Rajya Sabha today, Mr Azad said the health care systems in the US and UK are being carried out by the Indian doctors there. He said about three thousand doctors from India have gone abroad during the last three years. The Minister said the aim of the government is to lay emphasis on quality in producing doctors in the country.

He said as a result several initiatives taken by the government, 46 new medical colleges have come up in the country during the last three years. Replying to the main question, the Minister admitted that there is a shortage of medical and paramedical staff in rural areas. He said the augmentation of human resource is one of the thrust areas under the National Rural
Health Mission (NRHM).