Syllabus: Government Policies and Interventions
Source: HT
Context: The Supreme Court has given the Centre and state governments a two-month deadline to implement the National Commission for Allied & Healthcare Professions Act 2021
What is the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Act, 2021?
It is a legislative framework aimed at regulating and standardizing education and practices in the allied and healthcare professions. The Act establishes the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions, which is responsible for setting policies, maintaining a central register of professionals, ensuring uniformity in qualifications, and overseeing professional conduct.
Key features of the Act:
| Category | Details |
| Allied Health Professional | Defined as an associate, technician, or technologist trained to support the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses, diseases, injuries, or impairments. |
| Must have obtained a diploma or degree. | |
| The degree/diploma duration should be at least 2,000 hours (over two to four years). | |
| Healthcare Professional | Includes scientists, therapists, or other professionals who study, advise, research, supervise, or provide preventive, curative, rehabilitative, therapeutic, or promotional health services. |
| Must have obtained a degree. | |
| The degree duration should be at least 3,600 hours (over three to six years). | |
| Allied and Healthcare Professions | Specifies certain categories of allied and healthcare professions as recognized categories in the Schedule to the Bill. |
| Includes life science professionals, trauma and burn care professionals, surgical and anaesthesia-related technology professionals, physiotherapists, and nutrition science professionals. | |
| National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions | Established by the Act to oversee allied and healthcare professions. |
| Structure | Consists of a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, five central government members, one representative from the Directorate General of Health Services, three Deputy Directors or Medical Superintendents on a rotational basis, and 12 part-time members representing State Councils. |
| Functions | Create and maintain an online Central Register of all registered professionals. |
| Provide basic standards for education, courses, curriculum, staff qualifications, examination, training, and maximum fee payable for various categories. | |
| Professional Councils | The Commission will constitute a Professional Council for each recognized category of allied and healthcare professions. |
| The Council will consist of a president and 4 to 24 members representing each profession in the recognized category. | |
| The Commission may delegate functions to the Council. | |
| State Councils | State governments will constitute State Allied and Healthcare Councils within six months of the Act’s passage. |
| These councils will complement the National Commission’s work and maintain a State Register. | |
| Permission for Establishment of Institutions | Prior permission from the State Council is required to establish a new institution, open new courses, increase admission capacity, or admit a new batch of students. |
| Failure to obtain permission means the qualification granted will not be recognized under the Bill. | |
| Offences and Penalties | Practising as a qualified allied and healthcare practitioner without being enrolled in a State or National Register will result in a fine of Rs. 50,000. |
Why did the Supreme Court direct the centre and States?
The Supreme Court noted that, despite the NCAHP Act being in force for 3-4 years, many provisions remain unimplemented. Only 14 out of 28 states and union territories have set up state councils, and even these are not fully functional.
The Court directed the Union and States to implement the Act within 2 months and instructed the Health Ministry to convene an online meeting within 2 weeks to outline a roadmap. States must ensure the infrastructure is set up and the Act’s provisions are operational, with a compliance report due at the next hearing.
Non-implementation of the Act has led to inconsistent qualifications, unregulated healthcare training institutions, and a rise in unapproved courses, jeopardizing patient care.
Conclusion:
The lack of implementation of the NCAHP Act highlights the urgent need for uniform standards and regulations in allied and healthcare professions to ensure patient safety and quality healthcare services.
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Key Phrases: National Commission for Allied & Healthcare Professions Act 2021
