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The ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW) has once again extended the timeline for the State governments and the Union Territories (UTs) to constitute the state level allied healthcare councils, by another six months. The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, 2021, notified by the Central government has come into force on May 25, 2021, and the Centre has initially provided six months from the date for the states to set up councils in their provinces.
In a latest notification, the MoHFW issued the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions 5th (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2023, under which it has clarified that “all the state governments/Union territories shall, as soon as may be but within two year and six months from the date of commencement of the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, 2021 constitute State Allied and Healthcare Councils”.
The Ministry, through another order on November 16, last year, had extended the timeline to six months till May, 2023, which is also completion of two years from the commencement of the Act in 2021.
The Act, to regulate and standardise the education and practice of allied and healthcare professionals in the country, came into force on May 25, 2021. It had provisions under which every State government shall notify the constitution of a State Council named as State Allied and Healthcare Council for exercising such powers and discharging such duties as laid down under the Act in six months from the date of commencement of the Act.
However, due to the Covid pandemic in the country, the State Councils could not be constituted by the State Governments within the stipulated period and because of that difficulties have arisen regarding compliance with the said provisions of the Act.
Following this, the stipulated period was extended by the Centre to one year and six months from the date of commencement of the Act. In May, 2022, the Ministry has issued an order - National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions 3rd (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2022 - extending the timeline, for six more months considering the difficulties faced by the State Governments in the backdrop of Covid-19 pandemic.
According to the Act, the State Councils should have a Chairperson who have experience in the field of allied and healthcare science, one member from medical sciences field, two members each from state medical colleges, and representing charitable institutions, two members from each of the recognised categories of allied and healthcare professions, among others.
The State Councils should constitute four autonomous boards - Under-graduate Allied and Healthcare Educational Board, Post-Graduate Allied and Healthcare Education Board, Allied and Healthcare Profession Assessment and Rating Board and Allied and Healthcare Professions Ethics and Registration Board - consisting of a president and members from each recognised category as specified by the regulation.
The Under-graduate Board and Post-Graduate Board shall determine standards of allied and healthcare education at the graduate, post graduate level and super-speciality level, develop competency based on dynamic curriculum content, reviewing institutional standards against norms, faculty development, approval of courses of recognised qualification and other functions as entrusted by the State Council.
The Allied and Healthcare Profession Assessment and Rating Board shall determine the procedure for the assessment and rating of allied and healthcare institutions by providing for inspection of institutions, grant permission for establishment of new allied and healthcare institutions and seat capacity, empanelling assessors, imposing warnings or fines, recommend for withdrawal of recognition of institutions and any other function as entrusted by the State Council to ensure maintenance of minimum essential standards.
The Allied and Healthcare Profession Ethics and Registration Board shall maintain online and live state registers of all licensed allied and healthcare practitioners in the State, regulate the professional conduct and promotion of ethics and undertake any other function as entrusted by the State Council.
The State council may also constitute as many professional advisory boards as may be necessary to examine the issues relating to one or more recognised categories and to recommend the State Council and also to undertake any other activity as may be authorised by the State Council, added the Act.
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