Virohan co-hosts a panel at AIIMS Nagpur on allied health for Viksit Bharat 2047

New Delhi: Virohan, a pioneer in allied health education, co-hosted an insightful panel discussion on the “Role of Allied Health in Viksit Bharat 2047,” in collaboration with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Nagpur and India House.

The session brought together leaders from healthcare institutions, regulation, academia, policy, and industry to deliberate on the future of India’s allied and healthcare workforce.

The panel took place at a critical moment, against the backdrop of the Union Budget 2026–27. For the first time, India’s healthcare ecosystem has been introduced to a dedicated Scheme for Allied and Healthcare Professionals, backed by an allocation of ₹1,000 crore and a plan to train one lakh allied and healthcare professionals over the next five years. The esteemed panel noted that this marks a long-awaited policy push for the allied health sector.

However, the scale of India’s workforce gap remains stark. The Public Health Foundation of India’s (PHFI) “Occupational Mapping of Allied Health Professionals in India” report highlights that India requires over 65 lakh allied and healthcare professionals, but has only around 2 lakh formally recognised professionals today, representing an estimated 95% shortfall in the trained allied and healthcare workforce.

From a regulatory lens, Dr. Umanjali Damke, Chairperson, Maharashtra State Allied & Healthcare Council, underscored that quality is non-negotiable in allied health education. She stressed that strong practical exposure, supervised clinical training, and strict adherence to standards are essential to building a competent and trusted allied and healthcare workforce.

Dr. Prashant P. Joshi, Executive Director & CEO, AIIMS Nagpur, emphasized that achieving Viksit Bharat 2047 in healthcare requires moving beyond a doctor-centric model and investing systematically in allied health. He underscored that allied and healthcare professionals play a critical role in delivering high-quality diagnostics, therapy, rehabilitation, and continuity of care, particularly as India expands healthcare access beyond metropolitan regions.

Offering a community-grounded perspective, Dr. Dhananjay Diwakar Sadgeo, Hematologist & Padma Shri Awardee, highlighted the importance of locally trained allied and healthcare professionals. He noted that professionals trained within regional contexts are better equipped to understand community needs, remain rooted, and serve underserved regions over the long term.

Representing Virohan’s education-to-employment mission, Dr. Anurag Shahi, Head of Academics, Virohan, shared insights on how structured exposure to real-world healthcare environments can transform student aspirations. He emphasized that when learners experience the realities of allied and healthcare roles early in their education, they are more likely to view these professions as meaningful, long-term careers rather than secondary options.

From an academic and institutional perspective, Dr. Vivek Kapoor, Vice Chancellor, G H Raisoni Skill Tech University, Nagpur, emphasized that strong policy must be matched by institutional readiness. He highlighted the complexity of aligning regulatory requirements with curriculum reform, training expansion, faculty development, and infrastructure upgrades. He noted that sustained systemic support is essential to translate policy intent into high-quality, scalable allied health education.

The panel concluded with a shared recognition that allied and healthcare professionals will be a central pillar of India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047, and that collaboration between public institutions, education providers, regulators, and industry partners will be critical to bridging India’s allied health workforce gap.

The conference was attended by Nalin Saluja, Co-Founder & CTO, Virohan; Archit Jayaswal, Co-Founder & CFO, Virohan; and Kumar Subham, Co-Founder, India House, along with over 150 participants, including faculty and representatives from healthcare institutions, academia, and the broader allied health ecosystem.