Section 2. The health workforce in the Indian scenario has been defined with focus mainly on few cadres such as

2. The health workforce in the Indian scenario has been defined with focus mainly on few cadres such as doctors, nurses and frontline workers. Many other professionals belonging to more than fifty allied and health care professions continue to remain under-utilised and unregulated in the health system. These broadly include professional categories such as Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Ophthalmic Sciences, Nutrition Sciences, Medical Laboratory and Life Sciences, Medical Radiology, Imaging and Therapeutic Technology, Medical Technologists and Physician Associates, Trauma, Burn Care and Surgical/Anesthesia related Technology, Community Care and Behavioral Health Sciences and Health Information Management and Health Informatics. There has been a persistent demand for a regulatory framework for such professions for several decades. 2. Definitions.— In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,— (a) "Advisory Council" means the National Allied and Healthcare Advisory Council constituted under sub-section (1) of section 12; (b) "allied and healthcare institution" means an educational or research institution which grants diploma or undergraduate, postgraduate or doctoral degree or any other post degree certification in any allied and healthcare professional under this Act; (c) "allied and healthcare professional" means any allied health professional or healthcare professional under this Act; (d) "allied health professional" includes an associate, technician or technologist who is trained to perform any technical and practical task to support diagnosis and treatment of illness, disease, injury or impairment, and to support implementation of any healthcare treatment and referral plan recommended by a medical, nursing or any other healthcare professional, and who has obtained any qualification of diploma or degree under this Act, the duration of which shall not be less than two thousand hours spread over a period of two years to four years divided into specific semesters; (e) "allied and healthcare qualification" means a recognised diploma or degree possessed by an allied and healthcare professional through regular learning mode under this Act or any additional recognised course obtained thereafter; (f) "Autonomous Board" means the Autonomous Board constituted under sub-section (1) of section 29; (g) "Central Register" means the Central Allied and Healthcare Professionals' Register maintained by the Commission under section 13; (h) "Chairperson" means the Chairperson of the Commission appointed under clause (a) of sub-section (3) of section 3; (i) "Commission" means the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Profession constituted under sub-section (1) of section 3; (j) "healthcare professional" includes a scientist, therapist or other professional who studies, advises, researches, supervises or provides preventive, curative, rehabilitative, therapeutic or