Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder Dr S. Ramadoss on Sunday, 7 June urged the Tamil Nadu government to immediately address a deepening staffing crisis in state-run hospitals, warning that manpower development has failed to keep pace with a decade of infrastructure expansion. The call comes amid reports that patient footfall at government hospitals has more than tripled in recent years, placing severe strain on existing medical personnel.

The Staffing Gap

According to Dr Ramadoss, no significant number of new government doctor posts has been created since 2015, even as the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically accelerated demand for public healthcare. Citing the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS), he argued that Tamil Nadu currently needs at least twice its present strength of doctors, nurses, and paramedical staff to meet effective healthcare delivery norms.

He pointed out that newly commissioned facilities — including the Kalaignar Centenary Super Speciality Hospital in Guindy, the Periyar Government Hospital in Kolathur, and recently developed hospitals in Vellore and Salem — are being staffed largely by transferring personnel from other institutions rather than by sanctioning dedicated new posts. This, he argued, merely redistributes an existing shortage rather than resolving it.

Key Demands from PMK

Dr Ramadoss outlined a broad set of demands for the state government. He called for a revision of Government Order No. 354 and demanded pay parity for state government doctors with their Central government counterparts, arguing that better salaries and clearer career progression would improve both efficiency and morale.

He also sought full implementation of the 50 per cent reservation for Tamil Nadu government doctors in DM and MCh super-speciality courses, expansion of nursing positions, regularisation of contract nurses, and the creation of permanent posts for hospital support staff in place of outsourced arrangements.

Infrastructure and Quality Demands

Beyond staffing, the PMK leader demanded round-the-clock X-ray services in district hospitals, expanded CT scan and MRI facilities, early appointment of health inspectors, and stricter quality control of medicines and medical supplies. He also called for the formation of dedicated management committees to oversee infrastructure development and quality assurance across public health institutions.

Broader Context

Tamil Nadu has long been regarded as one of India's better-performing states on health indicators, yet critics argue that infrastructure investment has consistently outpaced human resource planning. This is not the first time Dr Ramadoss has raised the issue — the PMK has repeatedly flagged the doctor-to-patient ratio in government hospitals as a structural concern. The post-pandemic surge in outpatient numbers has, according to health policy observers, exposed the limits of a system that expanded buildings without proportionately expanding its workforce.

With assembly elections on the horizon and healthcare remaining a politically sensitive issue in Tamil Nadu, the government's response to these demands will be closely watched by both medical professionals and voters.