Dispensing of hearing aids is a crucial issue for addressing the needs of people with hearing impairment. Therefore, hearing aid dispensing should be done by trained professionals. However, the RCI is all set to start a three month course which would include Audiological assessment and dispensing any kind of device assisting in hearing.
In the field of audiology and speech pathology a professional gets qualification after four years of Bachelor's course. The decision of RCI to promote the short term course will only bring adverse effect to the field as well as the professionals. This will create a way for a lot of non-professionals and quacks to dispense the hearing aids legally. This is not only the downfall to the field but also the quality of the health care provided, alleged the students union at the protest.
They further alleged that Speech and hearing colleges have mushroomed in India and the RCI has not been successful in monitoring the quality of education. Till date there has been no document to show the RCI has taken steps to provide employment to the audiologists and speech therapists in India. As per the RCI Act passed in the Parliament, RCI has to take legal action against malpractice and maintain the quality of rehabilitation services. In spite of receiving numerous complaints, RCI has failed to take such action, said the students.
The students demanded that the minimum eligibility criterion for any new course in the field of speech and hearing should be BASLP (Bachelor's in Audiology and Speech Pathology). RCI should take strict action against the malpractice in the field of speech and hearing immediately.
Only those professionals who have minimum Bachelors degree in speech and hearing should be called for any RCI meeting related to speech and hearing.
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment should initiate a thorough judicial inquiry on all activities of RCI secretary and chairman for promoting quackery and impending millions of Indians to receive quality health care.
The protest will be carried out in the future, till these demands are met by the RCI and the ministry, they said.
Prior to the protest, the students took out a protest march from Light House Hill to the Deputy Commissioner's office. Students carried placards that read “Three months give quantity, four years give quality.”
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