Parliament on Monday gave the green signal to two bills that propose a medical education system aiming to improve access to quality and affordable medical education by ensuring availability of adequate and high quality homoeopathy and Indian system of medicine professionals across the country.
Cleared by the Rajya Sabha in 2019, the Lok Sabha paved the way for passage of the National Commission for Homoeopathy Bill and the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill.
The National Commission for Homoeopathy, Bill, 2018, aims to replace the Central Council for Homoeopathy, which is the current regulatory body for homoeopathy. It proposes a teacher’s eligibility test to assess the standard of teachers before appointment and promotions.
The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill bill will replace the Central Council for Indian Medicine that regulates alternative systems of medicine and has provision for constituting autonomous boards for providing Ayurveda education among others.
With the nod from the lower house, the two proposed legislations mean that they are set to become laws after getting formal approval from President Ram Nath Kovind.
Some opposition members protested against the bill, saying the Centre needed to undertake wider consultation.
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said the proposed laws will help in better administration of homeopathy and Indian system of medicines.
The proposed legislations promote equitable and universal healthcare that encourages community health perspective and make services of such medical professionals accessible to all citizens, the government has said.
They promote national health goals, encourage medical professionals to adopt the latest medical research in their work and to contribute to research with an objective, periodic and transparent assessment of medical institutions.
The bills facilitate maintenance of a medical register of homeopathy and Indian system of medicine and enforce high ethical standards in all aspects of medical services.