New proposal requires formation of central and state councils for allied healthcare
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the establishment of an Allied and Healthcare Council of India and corresponding State Allied and Healthcare Councils.
The councils will play the role of standard-setters and facilitators for professions of Allied Healthcare.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “Allied health personnel are personnel who have specific connections with the art and science of health care and are recognized as members of health team in the national health system. They are educated, with different levels of professional qualifications, in a recognized or accredited health or healthrelated or academic Institution”. The new Bill will regulate all their allied healthcare professionals by requiring all practising individuals to periodically register for the councils.
“This will provide an opportunity to create qualified, highly skilled and competent manpower in healthcare and enable professionalism of the allied and healthcare workforce. This will pave the way for high quality multi-disciplinary care in line with the vision of Ayushman Bharat”
Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his visionary leadership and constant guidance, health minister J P Nadda said that he is grateful to the Prime Minister for approving a landmark legislation which will provide employment opportunities to millions of youth in the country and will help standardize allied healthcare.
Nadda said that the Central and State Allied and Healthcare Councils will include 15 major professional categories. He further added that Professional Advisory Bodies under Central and State Councils will examine issues in detail and provide recommendations relating to specific recognized categories.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to strengthen healthcare services, Nadda said that Allied and Healthcare Professionals (A&HPs) constitute an important element of the health human resource network, and skilled and efficient Allied and Healthcare Professionals (A&HPs) can reduce the cost of care and dramatically improve the accessibility to quality driven healthcare services.
Nadda said that this legislation will bring all existing allied and healthcare professionals on board within a few years from the date of establishment of the Council.
“This will provide an opportunity to create qualified, highly skilled and competent manpower in healthcare and enable professionalism of the allied and healthcare workforce. This will pave the way for high quality multi-disciplinary care in line with the vision of Ayushman Bharat,” Nadda elaborated.
