Update on Paramedical Workforce in India

In the absence of any Central Regulatory body for Allied and Healthcare Professions the Central Government enacted the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Act, 2021 on 28th March, 2021 for regulating the education and services of the allied and healthcare professionals; assessment and rating of all allied and healthcare institutions to ensure uniform standards and quality assurance; maintenance of live National and State Registers for registration of all allied and healthcare professionals. The Act provides for constitution of National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) and the functions of the Commission includes creation and maintaining an online and live Central Register with details of academic qualifications institutions, training, skill and competencies of Allied and Healthcare professionals related to their professions as specified in the Schedule.

Provision for capacity building of doctors, nurses and paramedics has been made under Central Sector Scheme, Human Resource Development for Emergency Medical Services including hands-on skill-based training of paramedical personnel and emergency medical technicians for patient stabilization during pre-hospital phase of transfer of patients to hospital/health facility. Under this initiative, standardized ‘National Emergency Life Support (NELS)’ modules for doctors, nurses and paramedics has been developed and training to doctors, nurses and paramedics is provided under the same as per norms approved under National Health Mission.

The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.