New Delhi, March 13 (IANS): India has 19 health workers per 10,000 people of its total population, parliament was told on Friday.

As per information provided by the Medical Council of India and Indian Nursing Council, the total number of registered doctors is 9,36,488, of registered nurses is 16,73,338, and of auxiliary nurses and midwives is 7,56,937, Health Minister J.P. Nadda told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.

WHO norms provide for 25 per 10,000 people.

Additionally, there are 7,90,000 Ayush (ayurveda, yoga, unani, siddhi and homeopathy) practitioners registered in the country, the minister said.

Listing the steps taken to address this shortfall, Nadda said the Medical Council of India (MCI) with the previous approval of central government, has amended the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000 to provide 50 percent reservation in post graduate diploma courses for medical officers in government service, who have served for at least three years in remote and difficult areas.