VOLUNTARY CERTIFICATION SCHEME FOR TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS (VCSTCHP)

ABOUT US

We, CTTC, are one of the Personal Certification Body (PrCB) of Voluntary Certification Scheme for Traditional Community Healthcare Providers(VCSTCHP) under the Quality Council of India. CTTC, is a registered trust since 2008, promoted by a group of Ex-servicemen, Management Consultant and Industrial Experts. Our registered office is at Trivandrum, Kerala. We are one of the National Assessing bodies of Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Govt of India. We are, ISO 9001:2016 certified and following ISO 17024 norms for Professional Trade Testing and Certification of skilled workers.

INTRODUCTION

It has been widely observed across the country, that several basic needs of primary health care of the rural population have been traditionally managed with herbal remedies, at home and are being taken care of by the village based, Traditional Community Healthcare Providers (TCHPs). The TCHPs across India use more than 6500 species of medicinal plants, around 300 species of animals and also dozens of metals and minerals. They are the repositories of centuries of wisdom and evolving knowledge of health practices, transmitted through an incredibly effective system of oral transmission inherited through family lineage, acquired under the Guru Shishya Parampara or through observation and experience by way of assisting the already knowledgeable practitioners. Thus, the TCHPs are the repository of diverse, ecosystem and ethnic community specific knowledge, skill and experience. It would indeed be a civilizational loss to lose this rich knowledge heritage of the rural communities of India.

It was with this realization that a pilot project was conceived, formulated and implemented during the years 2010 – 2012 by the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)with support from the Quality Council of India (QCI) and the Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT) and mentored by the Ministry of AYUSH. QCI provided expertise in designing and operating a competent third party evaluation and accreditation system. FRLHT introduced QCI and IGNOU to the grass root traditions in several States through its decades of associations with TCHPs. The objective was to create a uniform and standardized framework, perhaps for the first time in the world, for Voluntary Certification of the TCHPs, who manage various streams of health services(midwifery, herbal remedies, bone setting, ethno-veterinary care, skin and liver disorders and so on) based on their traditional knowledge, experience and expertise.

The framework for certification was designed broadly following the International norms as per ISO 17024 for Personnel Certification and the framework for the Third Party Certification was established after a series of deliberations with the various stakeholders. This resulted in establishing the criteria and process for the dissemination of information to the TCHPs about the process of Voluntary Certification. Dozens of applications from TCHPs duly endorsed by the Gram Panchayat /Village Council, were received and screening of the applications was done based on the stipulated criteria for their evaluation and certification as agreed during consultations with senior and experienced representatives of TCHPs.

During pilot testing phase, rapid baseline village survey was conducted in the selected district of each of the eight states for project implementation viz Dang district in Gujarat, Udaipur district in Rajasthan, Korba district in Chhattisgarh, Mayurbhanj district in Odisha, Vellore district in Tamil Nadu, Shimoga district in Karnataka, East Siang district in Arunachal Pradesh and West Khasi Hills in Meghalaya. The rapid baseline village survey data analysis helped in selection of most common streams of traditional health practices and the development of their Minimum Standard of Competence (MSC). MSCs were developed for jaundice, common ailments, poisonous bites, bone setting, arthritis and traditional birth attendants. Once the mother document for the MSCs developed, it was translated into region specific vernacular language for ease of local understanding and information dissemination.

The successful implementation of the pilot project received not only great appreciation but requests for the use of such uniform and standard framework which was created for the Voluntary Certification of the TCHPs poured in from various beneficiaries and stakeholders all over the country.

In parallel, QCI had also created a framework for accreditation of training providers recognizing that even though the certification is based on prior knowledge of traditional health care practices, the TCHPs may also need some training in respect of emerging, contemporary issues of public health in order to prepare them for certification. In 2016, based on positive feedback from the pilot project and considering the needs of the society in far flung unreached rural population of the country, QCI took the decision to commit itself to operate Voluntary Certification Scheme for TCHPs based on Third Party Certification Process for the competency of the TCHP. Since a very sound, well tested framework/template supported by solid groundwork was already created during the pilot project for the Voluntary Certification of TCHP using ISO 17024 for Personnel Certification, the same broad framework is used, with further incorporation of appropriate processes and committees keeping in mind, region and healthcare service stream specific in situ local nuances of the TCHP tradition. As per the international best practice, QCI has established the Steering, Technical and Assessment Committees. The organizations working in the field of traditional health care practices across the country were contacted and an overwhelming response was received. These organizations were invited to explain to them the process of certification as per ISO 17024 norms.

Certification on the Livelihood of the Folk Healers

A large part of India, especially the rural and tribal regions, is serviced by folk healers who rely on local health practices using medicinal plants and herbs in treating patients for various illnesses. There are an estimated 1 million folk healers across the country. Interestingly, while they form an integral part of rural and tribal life, there is no formal recognition for them.

The Quality Council of India (QCI), as the apex quality facilitation body set up by Central Government, launched the Voluntary Certification Scheme for what are now being called the Traditional Community Healthcare Providers (TCHPs). This term was first mentioned in the National Health Policy to certify the knowledge and skills of the folk healers. QCI adopted the same term. As a result, the Voluntary Certification Scheme for the Traditional Community Healthcare Providers (VCSTCHP) had its national launch on March 24, 2017 at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

Prior to the launch of the national scheme, a pilot project was conceived, formulated and implemented during 2010 – 2012 by the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)with support from the Quality Council of India (QCI) and the Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT). The project was mentored and funded by the then Department of AYUSH, Government of India. The National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) in QCI provided expertise in designing and operating a competent third party evaluation and certification system. The objective was to create a uniform and standardized framework – perhaps for the first time in the world – for the Voluntary Certification for persons who manage various streams of health services based on their traditional knowledge, experience and expertise.

Considering that the Central Government itself has chosen to honour traditional healers on the Republic Day in 2018, and the Niti Ayog and the Ministry of AYUSH have extended support for the QCI-FRLHT scheme for certification of TCHPs, the Central as well as the State Governments are being requested to adopt the Scheme as a national scheme for certification of traditional healers and induct them into the national healthcare delivery system. The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare is responsible for policy making in respect of providing healthcare services which ideally needs to integrate various systems of medicines available to provide healthcare to the common man. With the certification scheme for traditional healers being available, it would now be possible to integrate such healers into the healthcare system.

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SCHEME

The Quality Council of India (QCI), New Delhi in partnership with the Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT) launched probably its most offbeat work, a Voluntary Certification Scheme for Traditional Community Health Practitioners (TCHPs), commonly called folk healers or gram vaidyas, who have treated illnesses for centuries based on tradition of local health practices but have not been recognized in our healthcare delivery system.

This follows the launch of the national scheme in Mar 2017 which provides for both certification of traditional healers by independent third party certifiers and registration of training organizations for upgrading skills of traditional healers to meet the competence standard set under the Scheme.

It is now being widely accepted that several basic needs of primary healthcare are being managed by the Traditional Community Healthcare Providers (TCHPs) estimated to be one million in number in India. They are the repositories of centuries of wisdom and knowledge of health practices, transmitted through an incredibly effective system of oral transmission inherited through family lineage, acquired under the Guru Shishya Parampara or through observation and experience by way of assisting the knowledgeable elders. The TCHPs are the repository of diverse community and region specific ecosystems, knowledge, skill and experience. It would indeed be a civilizational loss to lose this rich knowledge heritage for the lack of a systematic and standardised system for recognising their knowledge and skills.

It was with this objective that QCI, in partnership with the Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT), a Bangalore based NGO specialising in local health practices, launched what is its most offbeat work and a pioneering initiative worldwide, the Voluntary Certification Scheme for Traditional Community Healthcare Providers (VCSTCHP) in March 2017 at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala with the simultaneous flagging off of the Lok Swasthya Parampara Yatra from Kanyakumari, Tamilnadu for bringing about widespread awareness amongst the TCHPs, their associations and various stakeholders, both governmental and non-governmental. Thus the Scheme is aimed at recognising the knowledge and skills of thousands of folk healers (as they are generally known) to get empowered for providing quality service to the citizens of the country, more so the remote rural and tribal population .Since the launch of the Scheme there been active participation from the traditional knowledge holders and organisations working for the healthcare sector.

Quality Council of India has launched the National Scheme for the Voluntary Certification of Traditional Community Healthcare Providers (TCHPs) and not for Traditional Medical Practitioners. The expression TCHPs has been chosen after much deliberation in line with the National Health Policy. The scheme certifies healers who are using local knowledge of herbs and treating 6 specific aliments mentioned in the scheme. As you can see, it is a voluntary certification scheme and has a rigorous process for evaluation and certification e.g the 5- page application form has a section free prior informed consent where in it reads “the Certificate would not allow you for the claim of any sort of registration as a medical practitioner or inclusion in the main stream medical system”. Similarly after the certificate awarded after the evaluation of the Skills and knowledge of the Traditional Community Health care provider (TCHP) the certificate also is inscribed with the validity period, the specific streams of practice he/she is evaluated and certified etc. Under the scheme only 6 streams of Health care practices are being evaluated and certified at present viz Common Aliment, Jaundice, Traditional Bone Setting, Poisonous Bites and Arthritis.

Certification Process

1. Applicant for Certification should be 28 years old which is calculated based on minimum age of 18 years as adult and assuming practice is started and 10 years of practice for Traditional Community Health care practices as prescribed.
2. The applicant TCHP shall apply to the approved PrCB on the Application format prescribed and duly endorsed by the Village Panchayath /City Corporation.
3. The applicant TCHP shall, along with the application, declare any pending judicial proceedings relating to his conduct, and any pending proceedings by ant regulatory body, and application from such as applicant shall not been entertained. The applicant shall also declare any instances of discomfort / disability caused to any of his patients in the past 02 years.
4. The Certificate would have the validity for a period of 5 years.

Our Team

– Dr. K. P. S. Nair, Chairman/CTTC
– DR. P Mohan Nair, Director/CTTC & PrCB005/Team Leader – Contact No – 9946200440

– Mr. Appukuttan- Team Member

– Mr. Harilal – Team Member
– Mr. M Shihabudheen, Team Member.
– Mrs. Parvathy Sharath, Team Member.

– Mrs. Shefina J S, Team Member

– Mrs. Rolly Srivasthava, Team Member/North & Western Region.
– Mrs. Nandini Mohanthy, Team Member/Central & Eastern Region.
– Mr. Jayaram Menon, Team Member/Southern Region.
– Mrs. Sushama Pandy, Team MemberAndaman & Nicobar Islands.

-Mr. Aravind Yadav – Co-ordinator/North & Western Region.

List of Experts of TCHP

List of Evaluators / Translators of TCHP

Evaluation Criteria

To test the skills and knowledge of the TCHP on all aspects relevant to the stream.

Evaluation Types

– Knowledge Assessment – Accuracy of responses to formal questions importantly to define the terms, tools, methods, professionalism or protocols used in the stream of practice.

– Case Assessment – Completeness of a case assessment handled by the TCHP, accuracy of the case finding and appropriateness of the treatment methods.

– Skills Assessment – Completeness, Accuracy and Professionalism in

1. Identifying medicinal plants for making medicines for health conditions.
2. Good practices for collection and storage of Raw Drugs.
3. Good practices for quality assessments of herbal preparations.
4. Good work practices for ensuring safe work environments.

– Field verification

1. Feedback from patients treated
2. Medicinal preparation at work
3. Community work undertaken to promote preventive health

Evaluation Durations and Marks

Criteria for Certification award

The candidate should obtain at least 70{db785daf75147ff6b4c808589c3fb50c894536d2c186ef2d42b66fc765e5c295} to be awarded Certificate

Application with following attachments

1. Application Form
2. Self Declaration
3. Code of Conduct
4. Free Prior Informed Consent
5. Endorsement by Village Panchayath

Review of Application

1. Application shall be treated as confidential
2. CTTC shall review all application and shortlisted
3. Short listed candidates are called for Certification Process

Fee

– For One stream: Rs. 8,000/- (Eight thousand only),
– in addition Rs. 2000/ for each additional streams

DD in Favour of –

CTTC – TCHP
SBI A/c no 40431539501
IFSC: SBIN0013313
SBI, Panavila, Trivandrum

Payable at – Thiruvananthapuram.
Contact No – 9946200440

Send Applications and DD to –

Director,
CTTC,
Panavila, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala – 695 001
Phone: 0471 232 6009

Download Application Form – English