Maharashtra mulls public-private partnerships for tribal hospitals amid doctor shortages

Maharashtra is evaluating a public-private partnership model for selected government hospitals located in its tribal regions, according to health minister Prakash Abitkar. The proposal aims to address chronic doctor absenteeism, where physicians are present only four days a week, despite earlier court-ordered deployments of specialists. The state previously instituted a tribal-first posting policy, offering postgraduate admission preferences and hardship allowances to incentivise service in remote areas.

The Bombay High Court had ordered officials to assess conditions in places like the Melghat region, prompting the government to outline these new measures. While some private initiatives have succeeded in tribal belts, activists argue that outsourcing tertiary care could further limit basic health services for the 16 designated tribal districts. The PPP policy, introduced statewide in February 2026, seeks to boost infrastructure and service delivery across sectors.