India's healthcare system faces a critical shortage and uneven distribution of healthcare workers, undermining efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC). While healthcare worker density has increased from 13.6 per 10,000 inhabitants in 2005 to 20.6 in 2024, it remains well below the WHO's recommended 44.5 per 10,000. Disparities are stark, with urban areas having four times the doctor density of rural regions, further limiting access to care.

The shortage of Allied Healthcare Professionals (AHPs) is particularly acute, with a deficit of 6.4 million professionals and infrastructure meeting only 4% of the demand. Regional imbalances in the distribution of AHPs and a concentration of nursing institutes in a few states exacerbate the issue. Skill gaps persist across professions: doctors often lack emergency response and team management skills, nurses struggle with procedural adherence and technology use, and technicians face challenges with equipment maintenance and data management.

Addressing these challenges requires expanding telemedicine, improving working conditions, and offering financial incentives for rural service. Strengthening public-private partnerships can enhance training capacity, while continuing education programs, cross-skilling initiatives, and multidisciplinary collaborations are essential. Task shifting and expanding community health roles can optimize existing resources, bridging workforce gaps and ensuring equitable healthcare access across India.