New Delhi: The Lok Sabha on Friday passed the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill, 2023 and the National Dental Commission Bill, 2023, amid Opposition uproar.
The National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill aims to set up National Nursing and Midwifery Commission (NNMC), and will repeal the Indian Nursing Council Act, 1947, to streamline nursing education in India.
With 33.41 lakh nursing personnel registered in the country, 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 a National and State Registers and creation of a system to improve access, research and development along with adoption of latest scientific advancement in the nursing & midwifery profession.
According to government, 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.
Meanwhile, the National Dental Commission Bill, 2023, seeks to regulate the profession of dentistry, to provide quality and affordable dental education, to make accessible high-quality oral healthcare and related matters to bring on a par with the global standards. According to government data, there are 2.89 lakh registered dentists in the country.
