URGENT NEED FOR AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY COUNCIL OF INDIA (OCI)
- Target:
- Central Health Minister and Prime Minister Office
- Region:
- India
Govt. of India has assured several times in Parliament since 1983(28 April 1983, 24 March 1988, 14 May 1990, 1992 and many more) till date, for setting up of separate Indian Council for Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy.
In conformity with the above stated assurances in Parliament even a Draft Bill for the proposed Indian Council for Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists was prepared, discussed with national associations AIOTA & IAP, and then was finalized in 1994.
States of Delhi, Maharashtra& Chhattisgarh already have Councils of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy’(Many more States in India are in process of setting up councils in the same pattern).
The Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare in its 31st Report tabled in Parliament, in respect to earlier proposed ‘Paramedical and Physiotherapy Central Councils Bill-2007’ on Oct. 21, 2008, strongly recommended independent ‘Central Council of Occupational Therapy’.
National Council for Human Resources for Health (Draft) Bill, 2009 which was referred to The Parliamentary Standing Committee by Rajya Sabha has also submitted its report on dated 19.10.2012,wherein provision for constitution of separate council for Occupational Therapy in the Bill is made. However later the Bill was withdrawn due to resentments by many of the stake holders and professional organizations.
Hon'ble High Court, New Delhi while disposing of the AIOTA’s petition on Jan. 15,2014 , issued direction to the Secretary , Health & Family Welfare, Government of India to decide the AIOTA’s representation dated Jan. 31, 2013in respect to Central Council of OT, as expeditiously as possible preferably within a Period of Twelve Weeks in accordance with law.
BOT is a 4 years degree course with 6 months of compulsory internship in various institutions in government and private sector in India. Post-Graduation [MOT] and Doctorate (Ph.D.) studies are also available in many of the institutions.
Occupational Therapy is not only recognized worldwide as a modern human treatment technique, but also has been accorded statutory recognition as an independent profession dealing with human health care.
It is most unfortunate for the profession of OT in India that in spite of the need and necessity of statutory mechanism regulating Occupational Therapy, acknowledged by many times in parliament by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, the Occupational Therapists remain unregulated, which has contributed to the deplorable state of the profession. It further has resulted into serious violation of the rights of the members of AIOTA to profess a profession of their choice.
SIGN to SUPPORT an OT COUNCIL.
• Due to no regulatory control there is widespread quackery, or substandard practice by inadequately trained practitioners.
• No regulatory standards of professional educational content other than voluntary accreditation through AIOTA
• No public safety assurance as there are no state councils other than Maharashtra & Delhi and Chhattisgarh but unfortunately no Central Council
• No governmental recognition (other than for recruitment purposes), the growth & development of the profession has been stunted and may continue to do so to the detriment of the health of the citizens of India
• Lack of proper recognition and facilities for occupational therapists have led to massive so-called “brain-drain” of occupational therapists to other countries such as- USA, UK, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Ireland, New Zealand, Middle East and other countries.
• 100,000 qualified occupational therapists in the US (population ~ 300 million) versus <10,000 in India (population ~ 1.2 billion)
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The URGENT NEED FOR AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY COUNCIL OF INDIA (OCI) petition to Central Health Minister and Prime Minister Office was written by Dr Anil K Srivastava President AIOTA, Dr Satish S. Maslekar, Hon. Secretary, AIOTA and is in the category Health at GoPetition.