Physiotherapy is considered as one of the noblest professions which treats the humanity with an admirable amalgamation of care emanating from a compassionate spirit, scientific knowledge and professional skill. The immense contribution of Physical therapists in treating patients with acute pain, is immeasurable. But these master healers were not given their due status in the medical fraternity for many years in India.
PM Modi when he became the Chief Minister of Gujarat, laid required emphasis on physiotherapy. He gave importance to traditional medicine, yoga, and physiotherapy for all in Gujarat. It was during his tenure that Gujarat’s first physiotherapy council was formed, which gave physiotherapy its due professional status in the medical fraternity.
The formation of council regularized a sector which was previous not very organized. This ensured that certified people who are adequately trained are part of the council. It also eliminated the need for patients to search treatment facilities on their own, instead, they could find the list of Approved therapists who would meet their needs.
The genesis of council resulted in availability of skilled, qualified physiotherapists in the healthcare system of the State, and they are providing comprehensive healthcare and team work along with the specialists.
The biggest beneficiaries of this move were the ones who are most vulnerable to pain, the Divyang and older people. Now with the governing body in place, they are being given quality treatment in the state by certified professionals.
For people who had mobility issues, the 104 service was introduced by CM Modi to avail the guidance and services of physiotherapists in a timely manner and professional manner.
CM Modi also laid importance on building credible infrastructure for significant dissemination of physiotherapy as a stream. There was a substantial increase in the strength of Physiotherapy Colleges, under graduate and post graduate courses offered in the Physiotherapy Stream during 2002-2014 in the state. Initially there were 10 colleges in the state in the year 2002, which gradually increased up to 27 in the year 2014. Three new Government Physiotherapy Colleges came up in the Surat, Dahod and Jamnagar. 14 new Self-Financed Physiotherapy Colleges all across the state were also established. Substantial increase was seen in opportunities to pursue Masters’ course in Physiotherapy. The number of seats available in the PG Courses were 15 initially which increased up to 192 in the year 2014. Furthermore, the number of students registered for the Ph.D. courses also increased during this period.
In 2014, as the Prime Minister of the country, PM Modi sent a widely appreciated message to ‘Physio Summit 2014’. His message was about the need to spread awareness about various aspects of physiotherapy. He also realized that physiotherapy as a profession was not practiced widely in the country and was concentrated in certain parts only.
Knowing the importance physiotherapy plays in the betterment of quality of life, Modi government in 2015, for the first time mooted the idea of a bill which -aimed at controlling the institutions that train professionals in allied health sciences such as physiotherapy.
Modi government after due deliberations and consultation, passed the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professionals Bill in 2021. The establishment of Central Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions after the passage of the bill, has given a much-needed fillip to physiotherapy, which as a profession had been unregulated and unrecognized for 75 years.
Through this Commission, PTs as well as over 50 other healthcare professional categories will finally get standardized education, globally competent clinical practices and a recognition for their invaluable contribution in the healthcare domain. There was a pressing need for a statutory mechanism for standardization and regularization of physiotherapists and allied workers.
Another significant feature of this Bill is the classification of allied professionals using the International System of Classification of Occupations (ISCO code). This will ensure the mobility of physiotherapists around the globe thus providing, better opportunities to them.
Inclusion of physiotherapists under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission Network will also allow Patients to easily search the ABDM network for registered facilities across different systems of medicine like modern medicine (Allopathic), Ayurveda, Dentistry, Homeopathy, Physiotherapy, Unani, Siddha or Sowa Rigpa.
Ayurveda and Physiotherapy are not mutually exclusive, as the principle of all the treatment used in physiotherapy and Ayurveda is similar and as it produces a synergistic effect on managing that particular condition effectively it is advisable to use an integrative treatment.
To make sure the patients get the best out of this confluence of Ayurveda and Physiotherapy, Modi government has made sure that the Physiotherapy treatment is integrated with Ayush treatment. This has been started in many Ayush hospitals and colleges.
Physiotherapists are magnificent healers when it comes to releasing of acute pain. Their inclusion in the mainstream medical fraternity, assured by PM Modi, has further opened avenues for multilateral forms of quality treatment to the people of the country. The importance of physical therapists cannot be stated more when they provide much needed assistance to our sportsmen. Now, that India is bringing more number of medals in last 6 years, their relevance has increased manifold.
During the Covid pandemic, by ensuring cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, Physiotherapists played a major role in reducing mortality and morbidity.
In order to integrate technology with the profession an MoU was signed with IIT, Gandhinagar to create the robotic gloves which would help significantly in post-operative recovery, pain relief, strength and mobility. Government Physiotherapy College, Ahmedabad has also made a translation of WHO advisory / Guideline for Physiotherapy in vernacular language, thus ensuring patient education and awareness related to the treatment of various orthopedic, neurologic and cardiopulmonary ailments.
PM Modi through policy measures, pertinent legislation has empowered physiotherapists in the country and at the same time, has made sure that there is an increased awareness about this valuable profession. His continued emphasis on the importance of physiotherapy has improved the standards of treatment in Gujarat, now it is improving the treatment standards across the country.
