Not for Publication For Members only LOK SABHA ___ SYNOPSIS OF DEBATES (Proceedings other than Questions & Answers) ______ Wednesday, March 24, 2021 / Chaitra 3, 1943 (Saka) ______ *MATTERS UNDER RULE 377 (1) DR. SUJAY VIKHE PATIL laid a statement regarding declaration of Dimbhe-Manikdoh Water Tunnel as a National Project. (2) SHRIMATI KESHARI DEVI PATEL laid a statement regarding need to widen National Highway between Raibareli and Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh. (3) SHRI KANAKMAL KATARA laid a statement regarding issues pertaining to development in Tribal areas of Dungarpur district in Rajasthan. (4) SHRIMATI GITABEN V. RATHVA laid a statement regarding increasing railway connectivity in Chhota Udaipur Parliamentary Constituency, Gujarat. (5) DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR laid a statement regarding need to clean the Godavari river. (6) SHRI DEVUSINH CHAUHAN laid a statement regarding stoppage of Ahmedabad-Kewaria Jan Shatabdi express at Nadiad Railway Station. * Laid on the Table as directed by the Chair. (7) SHRIMATI ANNPURNA DEVI laid a statement regarding need to take necessary measures to include Kharwar-Bhogta community in the list of Scheduled Tribes. (8) SHRI SUDARSHAN BHAGAT laid a statement regarding increasing incidents of cow smuggling in Lohardaga Parliamentary Constituency, Jharkhand. (9) DR. HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT laid a statement regarding updating Scheduled Areas (Maharashtra) Order, 1985. (10) SHRI PARBATBHAI SAVABHAI PATEL laid a statement regarding need to run a direct train between Palanpur and Dwarka in Gujarat. (11) SHRI MANSUKHBHAI DHANJIBHAI VASAVA laid a statement regarding consturction of Rajpipla - Kevadia railway line in Gujarat. (12) SHRI BHAGIRATH CHOUDHARY laid a statement regarding need to take necessary measures for welfare of Magra-Merwara region in Ajmer Parliamentary Constituency, Rajasthan. (13) SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO laid a statement regarding need to increase the amount for construction of house in rural areas under PM Awas Yojana. (14) SHRI RAGHU RAMA KRISHNA RAJU laid a statement regarding incidents of Vandalism of Hindu Temples in Andhra Pradesh. (15) SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV laid a statement regarding need to provide funds for Jigaon Dam Project. (16) SHRI MAHABALI SINGH laid a statement regarding smooth passage of vehicles through Toll Plazas. _______ THE NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR ALLIED AND HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONS BILL, 2021 (As passed by Rajya Sabha) THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE; MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, AND MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES (DR. HARSH VARDHAN) moving the motion for consideration of the Bill, said: After bringing in the historic reform of the National Medical Commission in 2019 to reform and streamline the sector of medical education, we now have another bigger opportunity to transform the much bigger sector of allied and healthcare professions. This Bill has the potential to create a paradigm shift in healthcare delivery of the future by recognizing the specialized skills and contributions of more than 56 types of healthcare workers, that is, the allied and healthcare professionals. This Bill aims to establish a Central Statutory Body as National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professionals. The Commission will frame policies and standards, regulate professional conduct and prescribe qualifications for all these professions. The Commission will be supported by ten broad professional Councils, each comprising one or more professions. This also provides for registration of all the allied and healthcare professionals facilitating their career growth and improving their employment potential, both within and outside India. All the professions have been coded as per the International Labour Organization's International standards for classification of occupation which also allow them for global recognition and mobility. Moreover, National Allied and Healthcare Advisory Council to advise the National Commission with representation from all the States have also been proposed to enable adequate representation from all States and Union Territories. Further, each State will be having a separate State Council with four autonomous Boards. In this regard, we have carefully considered the invaluable inputs of the Parliamentary Standing Committee Members and incorporate almost all of those in this Bill. The year 2021 has been designated as the International Year of Health and Care Workers by the World Health Organization. I feel happy and delighted that in this very year we are considering a landmark legislation that will reform and open up huge opportunities for allied and healthcare professionals. I, therefore, request all of you to support this Bill. SHRI BALUBHAU ALIAS SURESH NARAYAN DHANORKAR initiating said: I, on behalf of me and my party support the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill, 2021. The allied and healthcare workers are as important as doctors and equipments in the healthcare sector. They have toiled hard during the corona pandemic. That is why they should be given their rightful reward and they will get it through this Bill. The brightest aspect of it is that 90 per cent of the recommendations made by the Standing Committee has been accepted. More surprisingly, there is 59 per cent shortage of radiographers and this shortage is more acute in the rural areas. The government needs to open more and more training centers to meet the shortage in the rural areas. One more amendment may be made to this Bill like the tenure of the Members of the Commission should be increased from two years to three or four years. This has figured even in the recommendations made by the Standing Committee but the same was not accepted. Moreover, this Bill is silent on how the problem of the shortage of the allied and the healthcare workers will be obviated out. I have one or two issues about my Parliamentary Constituency. I would like to request the hon. Minister that arrangements may please be made to provide the facility for Nucleic Acid Test (NAT) in Chandrapur Medical College and Hospital. With the help of Nucleic Acid Test we can get medical reports within 24 hours. This is very useful and essential for HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C tests. At last, I conclude and support this Bill. DR. SUBHASH RAMRAO BHAMRE: This Bill is to provide for regulation and maintenance of standards of education and services by allied and healthcare profession. This Bill is a pathbreaking initiative that has potential to change the future of healthcare service delivery both for people of the country and also for allied and healthcare professionals. While doctors, nurses, dentists and pharmacists in India are regulated through their respective regulatory body, the allied and healthcare professionals are still unstructured, unregulated. The potential of those professionals can be utilized to reduce the cost of care and to make quality of healthcare services accessible to all. This Bill provides definition of allied health professional. Likewise, the healthcare professional is also defined in this Bill. Regarding allied and healthcare professions, this Bill specifies certain categories of allied and healthcare professions as recognized categories. The Bill sets up the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions which will consist of a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and five Members and others. With regard to the functions of the Commission, the Commission will frame policies and standards, regulate professional conduct and prescribe qualifications for all these professions. The Commission will also constitute a Professional Council for every recognized category of allied and healthcare professions. The Commission may delegate any of its functions to this Council. Regarding State Councils, within six months from the passage of the Bill, the State Governments will constitute the State Allied and Healthcare Councils. Thus, this Bills is a landmark Bill to give justice to the allied and healthcare professionals. SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB: Through this Bill, the total medical system is now becoming patient-centric rather than being Doctor-centric. This Bill classifies 15 major professional categories including 53 professions in allied and healthcare streams. There is a need of statutory mechanism for enumeration, standardization and regularization of these professions as has been pointed out by a number of experts. It is also necessary that everybody who deals with patients has some recognition and set standards of education and competitiveness. I reiterate my demand for imparting training to nurses or attendants taking care of dementia and Alzheimer patients. In the nursing sector also that part is severely limited. The hon. Minister should take cognizance of it. Over the years many other practitioners have been established whose ability can be used to strengthen and expand access to quality based services in the rural and inaccessible areas. Many countries including Australia and the USA have a formal licensing or administrative authority approved to regulate and access these practitioners credentials and competence. Besides I want to flag a few important points. Granting only 12 slots to the State council members is disproportionate given the number of states in the country. As per the Bill every institution teaching professionals associated with healthcare will need to be accredited. This particularly creates a challenge when it comes to private institutions. In fact large scale accreditation opens up avenues of manipulation and corruption. This needs