A letter, dated 17 July, from the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP), shows growing concern over delays that could affect healthcare quality across the country.
Many states have not yet created these important councils as required by the NCAHP Act of 2021. This Act was put in place to bring order and set clear rules for the training and work of various healthcare support staff.
The letter, seen by Mint, specifically points out that 11 states and union territories still haven’t formed their councils. These states/UTS are Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Haryana, Jharkhand, Ladakh, Lakshadweep, Puducherry, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Another 11 states have formed their councils but have not met the rules of 2021 Act. These regions include Assam, Bihar, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, and West Bengal.
The letter has highlighted “non-conformities” such as the nomination of medical doctors as chairpersons or members.
These State Councils are crucial for ensuring that allied and healthcare professionals across India are properly trained, registered, and practice safely.
They are responsible for setting standards to make sure that schools and training programs offer quality education, and for keeping records, i.e., maintaining official lists of qualified professionals, which helps patients know they are getting care from trained individuals.
Furthermore, these councils ensure that professionals follow strict rules and ethics in their work and providing improved care to the patient.
Who are allied healthcare professionals?
Allied healthcare professionals are the backbone of the healthcare system, working closely with doctors and nurses to provide comprehensive patient care. They are specialized experts in various fields such as diagnostic, treating and rehabilitating patients.
This group includes a wide range of roles such as physiotherapists, Medical Lab Technologists, Radiology Technicians, Nutritionists/Dieticians and Occupational Therapists and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). Essentially, they are highly skilled professionals who play a vital role in patient recovery, diagnosis, and overall health management.
Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, public health expert and past president at Indian Medical Association (Cochin) said that healthcare involves teamwork, and all members play a role in ensuring good outcomes. “A doctor or nurse alone will not be able to achieve much without other well-credentialed team members—who are collectively termed allied healthcare professionals. They include physiotherapists, lab technicians, radiology technologists, nutritionists, optometrists, and others. They are vital to diagnostics, surgery, rehabilitation, chronic disease management, and community-based care. Irregular standards in the training of individual team members will ultimately impact healthcare delivery—it is said that a chain always breaks at the weakest link.”
The NCAHP Act, 2021 mandates that every state and union territory establish a State Allied and Healthcare Council to regulate these professions. However, many have either not complied or formed councils that do not conform to the Act’s provisions.
Jayadevan said that the consequences of this delay are several. “It leaves patients vulnerable to unqualified and unregulated practitioners, without legal oversight to prevent unethical or unsafe practices. Delaying proper implementation undermines patient safety, workforce quality, and India’s broader public health goals.”
Queries sent to the health ministry spokesperson remained unanswered.
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