HC asks Centre to specify time required to make law on healthcare professions

The Delhi High Court Tuesday directed the Centre to indicate the time required for finalizing a law to regulate several healthcare professions, including physiotherapy.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao asked the central government to file an affidavit within a week, indicating the time required to finalize the Draft Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill, 2017.

"Say how much time you will take. One month, two months or six months. The petitioners will then know how long they have to wait," the court said and listed the matter for further hearing on November 13.

It also asked the government to objectively consider the suggestions given by the petitioners in their pleas and incorporate them, if required, in the legislation.

The bench was hearing two public interest litigations (PILs), one by an individual and another by an organization, seeking a separate regulatory body for physiotherapists.

The petitioners have claimed that physiotherapists are a different category and cannot be clubbed with groups such as technicians, radiologists, and X-ray technicians.

They contended that physiotherapists are trained and not only rehabilitate but also diagnose and treat and that their functions are much wider than those performed by other functionaries as technicians and radiologists.

The court had earlier observed that physiotherapy cannot be equated or clubbed with technicians in the other professions as the educational requirement and training for the former is different.