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Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
08-August-2014 16:14 IST
Professionals Working Under Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy

 

Due to lack of regulatory body for physiotherapist and occupational therapists, the exact numbers of professionals working under these two groups are not known.

 

In order to know the status of allied health professionals in the country, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) conducted a study and published report with technical support from Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) in 2012.

 

As per the report, the healthcare system lacks 64 lakh allied health providers in all streams as indicated in Annexure. Physiotherapist and Occupational therapist, based on their work profile come under rehabilitation group. The details of supply demand gap of rehabilitation group has been mentioned below along with other professions:

 

Demand Supply gap across various allied health professions in India

 

Allied Health Workforce Category

Demand

Supply

Gap

Unadjusted

Efficiency-Access Adjusted

Ophthalmology related

145236

17,678 

127558

136039

Rehabilitation /other related

1862584

40,265

1822319

1841637

Surgical intervention technology

205088

7,215 

197873

208618

Medical lab technology

76884 

15,214

61670

70603

Radiography and imaging technology

23649

4,352 

19297

20971

Audiology/ speech language pathology

10599 

3,263 

7336

8901

Medical technology

239657 

3587 

236070

237791

Dental assistance related technology

2048391 

6,243 

2042148

2045143

Surgery and anaesthesia  related technology

862193 

4,050 

858143

860086

Miscellaneous

1074473 

181,511

892962

980045

Total

6265376

6409834

Source – PHFI report [1]

[1] ‘From 'Paramedics' to 'Allied Health Professionals': Landscaping the journey and way forward. In: Malhotra, B, Krishnan, V, editors. New Delhi, India. Public Health Foundation of India, 2012.

 

Measures and initiatives taken by the Ministry in this regards are as follows:

 

1. Formation of “National Board of Allied Health Sciences” to standardize the allied health education system.

 

2. Establishment of National Institute of Allied Health Sciences (NIAHS) and Regional Institutes of Allied Health Sciences (RIAHS) to meet the demand of allied health professional in the country and to provide quality education.

 

Due to lack of Central regulatory authority in the sector there is no structured/ standard allowance system being followed throughout the country.

Initiatives taken by Ministry to determine Standard courses for Allied Health Sciences including Physiotherapy and Occupational therapy are as under:

        i.            Formation of National Board of Allied Health Sciences (NBAHS) to standardize the allied health education system.

 

     ii.            Establishment of National Institute of Allied Health Sciences (NIAHS) and Regional Institutes of Allied Health Sciences (RIAHS) to meet the demand of allied health professionals in the country and to provide quality education.

 

   iii.            Formation of “Curricula Review Committee” to review the existing allied health courses in India and to create a standardized course curriculum and framework. This will help to improve the quality of education and the profession.

 

   iv.            Apart from these, strengthening the existing Government Medical Colleges to start new Allied Health courses and to upgrade the existing Allied Health education and profession in the country are being taken by the Ministry.

 

The Health Minister was replying to a question in the LokSabha here today.

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MV/BK/LK