Vardhan writes to RS chair over health bill

NEWDELHI: Union minister Harsh Vardhan has written to Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu to expedite the reconstitution of a parliamentary panel for early consideration of a bill aimed at regulating and standardising the education and services provided by allied and healthcare professionals.

The Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill, 2018, was introduced in the Upper House on December 31, 2018, by former health minister J P Nadda.

It was then referred to the parliamentary standing committee on health and family welfare for its recommendation.

“Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has written to Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu to expedite the reconstitution of the parliamentary standing committee on health and family welfare for early consideration of the Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill,” official sources said.

The bill provides for setting up of an Allied and Healthcare Council of India and corresponding state allied and healthcare councils, which will play the role of a standard-setter and facilitator for such professions. As per the bill, there will be 15 major professional categories, including 53 professions in allied and healthcare streams. The offences and penalties clauses have been included in the bill to check malpractice. It is estimated that the proposed legislation will benefit around 8-9 lakh existing allied and healthcare professionals.