To constitute separate Speech & Hearing Council in The National Commission For Human Resources For Health Bill, 2011 under section 41 read with section 2 (k)
- Target:
- Joint Director, Parliament House
- Region:
- India
Refer to your notification inviting suggestions on the Bill as stated in the above-mentioned subject from the Individuals and organization stated as below.
Speech language Pathology and Audiology is an independent health care profession established in a full-fledged manner in the year 1966 by starting a central institute at Mysore named as All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH) under the Ministry of Health and Family welfare. At the same time Dr BYL Nair Hospital Mumbai also started the training professionals in this area.
Currently there are 52 undergraduate programs which are offering Bachelor in Speech Language Pathology (BASLP) degree, 22 programs offering Masters in Audiology and Speech language Pathology (MASLP) and two institutions are also offering independent degrees in Maters in Speech Language Pathology and Masters in Audiology and nearly 10 universities offering Ph.D program. In addition, AIISH also offers super specialty programs. The professionals who are trained with these degrees are catering to the needs of Speech Language and Hearing afflicted population as well as involved in independent academic pursuit. Speech Language and Hearing disorders also known as communications disorders are the off shoot of many congenital anomalies, acquired due to neurological disorders or brain injury, may be due to psychiatric conditions or structural lesions or due to some disease process like cancer, degenerative conditions or due to psychological overlay amongst many other conditions leading to speech and hearing disability.
Impairment in effective communication will have a devastating effect on the individual who are the victims of communication impairment be it at any age. The Speech and Hearing Professionals identified as Speech language Pathologists and or Audiologists are persons involved in the diagnosis and management of communication disorders, early identification and intervention, industrial health care, education of the speech and hearing impaired, rehabilitation of swallowing or balance disorders and often becomes the first account in the health care system for identifying and referring to other medical professionals for their intervention. Every year nearly 750 undergraduate pass out with BASLP, and nearly 300 MASLP professionals enter into the professional field.
In developed countries such as Unites states, U.K, Australia etc the audiologists and speech therapists are regulated by their separate Councils such as American Speech & Hearing Association (ASHA), British Audiology Academy(BAA),RCCP, Audio logical society Australia etc which regulates the professional and ethics standards which work for the interest of speech and hearing professionals.
The Hon'ble Supreme Court vide its decision held in Mewa Ram vs AIIMS 1989 SCR(1) 1957 has categorically held that "We fully agree with the above observations and accordingly we hold that in the instant case since the Hearing Therapist and Audiologist both render professional services and there is qualitative difference between the two".
In India, around 2% of the population is suffering from speech and hearing problems and for their interest of speech and hearing professionals it’s now essential that there is separate council of the Audiologists/Speech Pathologists which can regulate the professional standards in much efficient manner.
Petition:
In the abovementioned Bill, there is no indication of the speech & hearing qualifications in the schedule and it’s also unfair of putting the Speech & Hearing professional qualifications under the sixth schedule with other paramedical qualifications as Speech & Hearing stream (also called Audiology & Speech Pathology) like Pharmacy, Nursing is being taught at Bachelor, Master and Doctorate Level. In some Institute of India, the post doctoral qualifications are also awarded to the Ph.D holders. Thus it’s very unreasonable to place the speech and hearing qualifications with paramedical qualifications which are hardly being taught at Masters Level.
Section 2 under head Definitions
(k) “Discipline of health” : Needs to include speech & hearing professional( also called Audiologist & Speech Pathologist) discipline by notification
(w) : “National Council” needs to include separate Speech & Hearing council
(x) “ National Register” To insert Register of Speech & Hearing professionals maintained by the Speech & Hearing Council of India
Section 4 (2)
(a): Needs to add “speech & Hearing” Discipline for the four whole time members appointed by the Central Govt
(b): Needs to add “ Speech & Hearing” discipline for eight time part time members
Section 41 : To insert Speech & Hearing Council in subsection (3) of the Act as On the commencement of this Act, the Central Government shall, by notification,constitute the speech & hearing Council of India for the disciplines of Speech & Hearing Professionals
Section 53(1): Constitution of the state Council:
Need to include (f) the Speech & Hearing Council of .................... (name of the State) for Speech & Hearing Professional
Section 60 : To insert
No person shall, unless he is enrolled on the National Register or the State Register,
as the case may be, of Speech & Hearing Professional,—
(i) hold any appointment as Audiologist or Speech Pathologist/Therapist in any dispensary, hospital or other health institution which is supported wholly or partially from public or local funds; or
(ii) practice as a Audiologist or Speech language Pathologist/Therapist.
iii) sign or authenticate a certificate required under any law for time being in force from a Audiologist & Speech language pathologist/Therapist; or
(d) give evidence in any court of law as an expert in any matter relating to
Speech & Hearing Disability.
Any more suggestion can be made with leave of the secretariat in interest of speech & Hearing professionals in India.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The To constitute separate Speech & Hearing Council in The National Commission For Human Resources For Health Bill, 2011 under section 41 read with section 2 (k) petition to Joint Director, Parliament House was written by yogesh mahajan and is in the category Health at GoPetition.