Lok Sabha passes key healthcare bills: National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill & National Dental Commission Bill

The Lok Sabha on Friday passed two new bills during the ongoing monsoon session of the Parliament namely the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill (NNMC) and the National Dental Commission Bill. These bills hold significant importance as they will repeal the Dentists Act 1948, and the Indian Nursing Council Act 1947 and will enhance transparency and quality in the fields of nursing, midwifery and dentistry. The passage of these bills comes after recommendations from the Parliamentary Standing Committee to the health ministry, urging to explore the possibility of restructuring and revamping the Dental Council of India and the Indian Nursing Council to regulate education and professional practice. National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill, 2023?  The bill seeks to provide for regulation and maintenance of standards of education and services by nursing and midwifery professionals, assessment of institutions, maintenance of National and State Registers and creation of a system to improve access, research and development along with the adoption of the latest scientific advancement in the nursing & midwifery profession. Why Indian Nursing Council Act 1947 was replaced by NNMC? The Indian Nursing Council Act 1947 was enacted to constitute the Indian Nursing Council to establish a uniform standard of training for nurses, midwives and health visitors. However, the said Act went through minimal amendments and limited the growth of the professionals concerned. Therefore, the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill aims to set up National Nursing and Midwifery Commission (NNMC) that will replace the existing Indian Nursing Council Act 1947 to reform nursing and midwifery education and profession in India. The NNMC commission would have a nursing and midwifery Undergraduate and postgraduate education board, an assessment and rating board to carry out inspections and to assess and rate the nursing and midwifery institutions and an ethics board to regulate the professional conduct. Importance of nursing profession in healthcare Nurses, who comprise the greatest number of healthcare providers, are the backbone of health systems. A well-functioning nursing and midwifery education is essential for redefining the role and scope of the nursing and midwifery profession in the country. According to the Indian Nursing Council records, till 2022, there were around 33.41 lakh nursing personnel registered in the country. Salient features of National Dental Commission Bill, 2023?  The bill seeks to regulate the profession of dentistry in the country, to provide quality and affordable dental education and to make accessible high-quality oral healthcare and related matters to bring it to par with global standards. According to government data, there are 2.89 lakh registered dentists in the country. Why was the existing Dentists Act 1948 replaced by the National Dental Commission? The National Medical Commission through the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, aims to bring reform in dental education and profession and its regulatory framework. Therefore, the government expert panel recommended for establishment of a National Dental Commission in place of the Dental Council of India and for creation of Autonomous Boards under the National Dental Commission to oversee various functions related to the dental profession. Functions of the National Dental Commission The commission will have three autonomous boards—the Undergraduate and Post-Graduate Dental Education Board to regulate dental education, Dental Assessment and Rating Board to carry out inspections, assess and rate the dental institutions and the Ethics and Dental Registration Board to regulate professional conduct and promote dental ethics amongst dentists. Besides this, it will also look after holding a uniform National Exit Test (Dental) for granting a license to practice dentistry, for enrolment in the State Register or the National Register and for admission to postgraduate dental courses and recognition of dental qualifications in India and outside India.