The Supreme Court on Monday set a two-month deadline for the Union and state governments to establish a national commission and state councils under the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Act, 2021. The court warned that failure to comply could lead to coercive action against the responsible department secretaries.
A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra criticized the Centre for not responding to its September 22, 2023 notice on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the Joint Forum of Medical Technologists of India.
Expressing concern over the rapid growth of institutions offering courses in allied and healthcare fields without proper regulation, the bench noted that the absence of a regulatory body, despite the existence of a law, was alarming.
“Both Union and state governments have neglected their responsibilities,” the bench stated in its order, directing that the NCAHP Act be fully implemented by October 12. The court indicated that failure to meet this deadline might compel it to take strict measures to enforce the law.
The Supreme Court also instructed the Union Health Secretary to organize a meeting with all state health secretaries within two weeks to outline a plan for implementing the Act. Additionally, states and Union Territories were asked to submit a status report on the Act’s implementation to the Union Ministry, which would compile the data and present it to the court on October 12.
The NCAHP Act, enacted on March 28, 2021, was designed to address the critical need for human resources in healthcare. It forms part of the government’s efforts to provide universal health coverage, which relies on a robust and effective health workforce across both public and private sectors.
