The Health Ministry and Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to bring short term health courses and train 14 lakh manpower in the same field by 2025.
The documents were inked in the presence of Union Health Minister of Health J P Nadda, Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar, and Union Minister for Skill Development Dharmendra Pradhan.
Speaking on the occasion, JP Nadda said “Under this MoU, curriculum for 10 courses especially designed for the health sector, will provide more than 14 lakh trained manpower by 2025.” He further said that the government has undertaken the task of screening non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and common cancers along with tuberculosis and leprosy, which will require trained manpower and government is taking necessary steps to ensure this.
He further added that by 2022, there will be 1.5 lakh new health and wellness centers (HWCs) and there will be need for such health-care service providers.
"The potential for skilled healthcare workers and professionals will increase immensely in the health sector. Such courses will ensure that the health sector gets adequate skilled health workers," he said.
Prakash Javadekar said “this is a historic moment as three ministries of health, education and skill are coming together to meet the large manpower requirements in the burgeoning health-care sector. A robust monitoring and assessment framework will be established under the MoU to ensure that Health Ministry standards are followed stringently.”