The Indian Journal of Public Health has highlighted the growing burden faced by doctors working in Primary Health Centres (PHCs), who remain the backbone of India’s rural health system. The analysis, based on service delivery in villages and small towns, shows that PHC doctors shoulder responsibilities that extend far beyond clinical care, often at the cost of their own well-being. A single PHC typically serves nearly 30,000 people, covering maternal and child health, immunisation, chronic illnesses, emergencies, and outreach. In hilly and tribal areas, one doctor caters to 20,000 people; in urban belts, the figure climbs to 50,000.
On busy days, they attend to more than 100 outpatients, with antenatal clinics alone drawing close to 100 pregnant women. Each consultation demands both precision and compassion, yet is often compressed into mere minutes. The study reveals that…
