States should be ready to implement regulations: NCAHP

Mangaluru: Dr Yagna Unmesh Shukla, chairperson, National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP), said that the commission released 17 curricula to be implemented mandatorily starting in the 2026 academic year.She said the registration of allied and healthcare professions will start soon. "The regulations for institutions and minimum standards for institutions will be notified, and the big reform is going to come, and we all must be ready. It is our duty to ensure its implementation. So it will be the state's responsibility to ensure implementation," she said, while delivering the keynote address at Mangalore Physiocon-2026, an international physiotherapy conference, organised by South Canara Physiotherapy Teachers' Association on Friday."I am very sure that Karnataka will be the first state to implement the curriculum. So many meetings were held, and I do get updates. I am really happy that the Karnataka State Allied & Healthcare Professions Council is doing wonderful. I must say that NCAHP is working tirelessly on standardisation, research promotion, innovation, adoption and equitable access to rehabilitation services," she said.The NCAHP Act, 2021, has brought a big reform. It is a big game changer in healthcare in India. Physiotherapy is one of the scheduled professions of Allied and Healthcare Commission, she said."In India, non-communicable diseases, cardiovascular conditions and musculoskeletal disorders are on the rise, and the ageing population demands greater focus on geriatric care. We all know physiotherapy plays a pivotal role. We all know post-Covid-19, the world witnessed how critical and important rehabilitation is. From restoring lung capacity and mobility in acute care to managing long-term post-Covid viral fatigue and neurological complications, physiotherapists were on the front lines, reducing hospital stays, preventing complications and helping patients reclaim their lives," she said, adding that the future of physiotherapy is being reshaped by groundbreaking innovations.