Seeking amendments to several clauses in the draft legislation for the National Commission for Human Resources for Health (NCHRH-2011), the Ayurveda Medical Association of India (AMAI) has approached the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee of Health and the joint secretary of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat.
The suggested amendments include changes in the very beginning of the Bill, which states that the proposed ‘bill is to consolidate the law in certain disciplines of health sector and promote human resources in health sector’.
In its memorandum, AMAI has demanded that the phrase “certain disciplines of health” should be amended as “all approved disciplines of health”.
In chapter 1, in the definition of ‘Medicine’ it is stated that “medicine” means modern scientific medicine in all its branches and includes surgery and obstetrics, but does not include veterinary medicine and surgery.
The memorandum of the Ayurveda physicians says that the particular clause should include ‘Indian System of Medicines’ also.
The Clause - (w)- in the chapter refers to “National Council” which includes all other Councils in the health sector except Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM), hence amendment is sought.
According to information received, once the Commission constituted, it would be the sole regulatory body for all the premier medical educational institutions and autonomous regulatory bodies like Medical Council of India (MCI), Pharmacy Council of India (PCI), Nursing Council of India (NCI), Dental Council of India (DCI) and the proposed Central Councils for Paramedical and Allied Medical Sciences Education. But the draft bill of the Commission does not involve the Central Council of Indian Medicine and the Central Council of Homoeopathy.
In Clause (zc), which refers to ‘recognized qualification’, there is description about modern medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy and paramedics, but no mention about Ayush streams. The memorandum submitted by Dr Rejith Anand, the General Secretary of AMAI, demands inclusion of ISM in the Clause.
As per the draft legislation, the Commission will consist of a Chairperson, four whole-time members and eight part-time members who will be appointed by the Central Government from the disciplines of medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy and paramedics. People from management, science and technology and law will be included in the list of part-time members.
While strongly opposing to the government’s negative attitude towards the country’s traditional healing systems, the General Secretary of the Association said government should take measures to include experts from Ayush streams in to the Commission by making suitable amendments in the Clause. His long missive to the government seeks a total of 17 amendments to the draft bill which is going to be discussed in the Rajya Sabha soon.
While speaking to Pharmabiz, Dr Rejith Anand said his association does not favour the centre’s view that a separate commission for Ayush could be established as parallel to this. He said if Ayush does not include in the NCHRH, the qualified practitioners from the ISM sector can not avail any opportunity in any foreign country. No foreign agency would accept or recognize their certificates if they are excluded from the national health commission.
The Union health ministry wants to establish the NCHRH as an overarching regulatory authority to reform the current regulatory framework in medical education and enhance the supply of skilled personnel to the healthcare sector in the country.