The central government is gearing up to introduce a central register for allied and healthcare professionals. This move will create a national database of qualified personnel working in various healthcare roles across India. Official sources say the register is part of the National Commission of Allied and Healthcare Professionals (NCAHP) Act, 2021, which aims to regulate standards of education and services for these workers.
Supreme Court Pushes for Implementation by October 2024
This initiative follows a Supreme Court directive in August, urging both central and state governments to enforce the NCAHP Act by October 2024. Parliament passed this Act in 2021 to ensure better regulation and standardization in the education and services provided by allied healthcare professionals.
The Act covers various healthcare workers, including technicians, therapists, and duty assistants, and seeks to establish central and state registers for these professionals, similar to those already in place for doctors, dentists, and nurses under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
What the Central Register Will Do?
The upcoming central register will be an online, real-time list of allied and healthcare professionals across 56 recognized categories. It will include detailed information about each professional, such as their name, qualifications, and area of expertise.
In addition to healthcare workers, the register will also list institutions that offer education and training in allied healthcare. This will link professionals to the institutes where they received their education. According to sources, this step is intended to tackle the issue of unregulated educational institutions that offer non-standardized courses in healthcare.
Need for Regulation
There has been growing concern about the number of unrecognized institutions offering subpar diploma and certificate courses in allied healthcare. These institutes often lack a standardized curriculum, resulting in inconsistent training across the country.
The central register aims to bring much-needed regulation to this sector. Once the system is live, only professionals listed in the central register will be allowed to hold positions in government institutions or any local authorities in the allied and healthcare fields. They will also need to be registered to work in any of the recognized categories in different states.
Verification Process Faces Delays
While the central register is expected to launch soon, sources say the verification process for professionals may be delayed. This is largely due to the lack of established state councils under the NCAHP. These councils are necessary for verifying the qualifications and credentials of professionals before they can be officially registered.
Despite these delays, the register is expected to open for enrolment soon. Sources indicate that the launch could happen in the next two to three weeks, though this will depend on final approvals from the Ministry of Health. Once operational, the register will mark a significant step toward improving the quality and regulation of allied healthcare services across India.
This central register will not only help organize and regulate the allied healthcare workforce but also ensure that only qualified professionals are employed in recognized positions. It is a critical step towards improving healthcare standards across the country. The timeline for the launch is still uncertain, but the initiative is likely to roll out soon, providing better oversight for healthcare professionals and institutions alike.