In the wake of increasing demand for well qualified and skilled allied health workforce in the country, the Union health ministry has redesigned curriculum of five streams of Allied Health Sciences such as dialysis therapy, medical radiology and imaging technology, operation theatre technology, radiation therapy and medical laboratory sciences.
In order to standardize the courses of Allied Health Sciences, the health ministry had earlier constituted the Curricula Taskforce Committees, to ensure standard course curriculum for Allied Health Education with focus on skills and competencies. The redesigned curriculum recommended by Curricula Taskforce Committees were reviewed by National Curriculum Review Committee (NCRC), constituted under the aegis of the health ministry to take a final decision on the curricula.
Accordingly, course curriculum for these five allied health professions has been finalized by the NCRC and the same has been placed under public domain seeking comments from the stakeholders by April 27, 2015.
Senior officials in the ministry said that the country is facing a shortage of Allied health professionals. Demands for well qualified and skilled Allied health workforce in the country is increasing every day due to advances in the healthcare sector, diagnostic procedures, diagnostic/therapeutic equipment, etc.
In order to bridge this gap, the central government has initiated a new centrally sponsored scheme for establishment of one National Institute of Allied Health Sciences (NIAHS), eight Regional Institutes of Allied Health Sciences (RIAHS) and to support State Government Medical Colleges for conducting allied health courses to augment the supply of skilled health workforce.
Earlier in December 2012, the ministry had released a report ‘From Paramedics to Allied Health Professionals’ marking the allied health training landscape including situational analysis, methodology of teaching, inputs and regulatory mechanisms to meet growing demand of Allied health professionals and recommended strategies for establishment of NIAHS and RIAHS.
Allied health professionals includes individuals involved with the delivery of health or related services, with expertise contributing in therapeutic, diagnostic, curative, preventive and rehabilitative interventions. They work in interdisciplinary health teams including physicians (all medical professionals including specialists), nurses and public health officials to promote, protect, treat and/or manage a person's physical, mental, social, emotional, environmental health and holistic well- being.