New Delhi: Breaking News! The Economic Survey 2009-10 admitted that there are many glitches in the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and India needs 6,800 more hospitals to improve its health infrastructure.

 

The survey said that there is still a shortage of 4,477 primary healthcare centres and 2,337 community healthcare centres across the country as per the 2001 population norms. The requirements will go up if the 2011 population norms will be taken into account.

 

According to the annual Economic Survey, at least 29 per cent of the existing health infrastructure is in rented buildings and many of them lack proper maintenance. In rural areas, manpower shortage remains a big worry.

 

The survey put emphasis on having in-patient services, operation theatres, labour rooms, pathological tests, X-ray facilities and emergency care in all community healthcare centres. There is a good news though. The infant mortality rate is likely to go down to 30 per every 100,000 live births against the current level of 53 by 2012.