The promise of allied health sciences

There are opportunities in the medical field beyond MBBS and nursing. Allied health sciences have millions of jobs and are evolving with new technologies but 'go unnoticed'

- Shradha Chettri

Got a low score in the Nation- al Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) but still eager to join the medical field? There is a wide range of allied health science courses to turn to - optometry, medical laboratory technology, operation theatre technology, radiology, imaging technology and dozens more.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) considers having 44.5 skilled health professionals per 10,000 population as adequate; India has just 20.6.

Considering how far below the WHO standard India falls, these areas would be key for employment generation, says experts.

But the field is beset with hurdles. The delay on the part of the government in implementing the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Act 2021, has meant these courses have not been promoted enough. The low popularity among students and migration to other countries have led to shortages in the workforce. The NCAHP released model curricula for 10 allied health courses in late April, updating decade-old syllabi.

The NCAHP Act recognizes 53 job roles for AHPs, under ten categories.

“The formal recognition of allied health professions by the Indian government took significant time. Earlier efforts, like the Paramedical and Physiotherapy Central Councils Bill (2007) and the Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill (2018), failed to materialise. It was only in March 2021 that the NCAHP Act was enacted. However, implementation has been slow. By mid-2024, only 14 states and union territories had established the necessary state councils, prompting a Supreme Court directive to complete implementation by October 2024,” said Barkha Bhatnagar, dean, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences at Shree Guru Gobind Singh Tricentenary University, (SGT) University, Gurugram.

As per the law, the national and state commissions are mandated to mobilise young students and demystify these jobs roles and conduct career counselling for Classes 11 and 12.