Empowering Health: Govt Urges States to Establish Game-Changing Healthcare Councils for a Brighter Future
A recent letter from the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP), dated July 17, has raised alarms about significant delays in establishing crucial state councils aimed at enhancing healthcare quality across India. The NCAHP Act of 2021 mandates these councils to oversee the training and professional conduct of healthcare support staff, ensuring a more organized healthcare sector.
Currently, 11 states and union territories, including Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Haryana, Jharkhand, Ladakh, Lakshadweep, Puducherry, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, have yet to form their required councils. An additional 11 states have created councils but fall short of meeting the standards set by the 2021 Act. These include Assam, Bihar, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, and West Bengal. The NCAHP’s letter identifies troubling “non-conformities,” such as the appointment of medical doctors as chairs or members of these councils, which may not align with intended governance.
These councils play a vital role, ensuring that allied healthcare professionals are properly trained, registered, and adhere to safety standards. They are instrumental in establishing educational benchmarks, maintaining records of qualified practitioners, and thereby helping patients receive care from skilled individuals. Furthermore, the councils enforce strict ethical guidelines, contributing to improved patient care.
Allied healthcare professionals serve as essential components of the healthcare system, collaborating closely with physicians and nurses to deliver comprehensive patient care. This category encompasses a diverse range of roles, including physiotherapists, medical lab technologists, radiology technicians, nutritionists, dieticians, occupational therapists, and emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Their expertise is crucial in areas such as diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and overall health management.
Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, a public health expert and former president of the Indian Medical Association (Cochin), emphasized the importance of teamwork in healthcare. He stated, “A doctor or nurse alone will not achieve much without other well-credentialed team members-collectively termed allied healthcare professionals. They are vital to diagnostics, surgery, rehabilitation, chronic disease management, and community-based care.” Dr. Jayadevan cautioned that inconsistent training standards among individual team members can compromise healthcare delivery. “A chain always breaks at the weakest link,” he noted.
Under the NCAHP Act of 2021, every state and union territory is required to establish a State Allied and Healthcare Council to regulate these professions. However, many states have failed to comply or have formed councils that do not adhere to the Act’s provisions, raising serious concerns about the integrity of healthcare delivery.
The delays in implementing these necessary reforms leave patients vulnerable to unqualified and unregulated practitioners, lacking legal oversight to prevent unethical practices. Dr. Jayadevan warned that these setbacks not only jeopardize patient safety but also undermine workforce quality and threaten India’s broader public health objectives.
Despite inquiries sent to the health ministry, no responses have yet been received, leaving the situation shrouded in uncertainty as the healthcare community anxiously awaits appropriate action to rectify these governance issues.
As the healthcare landscape evolves, the establishment and proper functioning of these councils remain essential for safeguarding patient welfare and ensuring that India’s healthcare professionals are held to the highest standards.
Original Source: https://www.livemint.com/news/healthcare-councils-india-ncahp-doctors-quality-states-11753611584031.html
Category :
Tags:
Publish Date: 2025-07-27 18:50:00
