Pakistan sets June 30 deadline for mandatory registration of allied health professionals
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s healthcare system is entering a new regulatory phase as the government has made registration of allied health professionals mandatory across the country. In a notification dated January 16, 2026, the Allied Health Professionals Council (AHPC) under the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination directed all hospitals, laboratories, educational institutions, and armed forces medical units to ensure that their allied health staff are formally registered with AHPC Pakistan by June 30, 2026. Institutions have also been instructed not to employ or continue services of any allied health professional who is not registered with the council after the deadline.
The directive follows decisions taken in the 10th meeting of the sub-committee technical of the Allied Health Professionals Council held on December 10, 2025. Under the Allied Health Professionals Council Act 2022, it is now compulsory for individuals practicing in allied health disciplines to be registered with the council before continuing professional work.
According to the notification signed by Dr Ibrar Rafique, secretary of the Allied Health Professionals Council, all currently employed allied health professionals must complete their registration through the official AHPC online portal within the given deadline. Healthcare facilities have been instructed to ensure full compliance in order to maintain uniform standards of practice and patient safety.
Who falls under allied health professionals
Allied health professionals include a wide range of technical and clinical support disciplines that work alongside doctors and dentists. These professionals are essential to diagnostics, treatment, and rehabilitation services.
The recognized disciplines include anesthesia technology, blood banking technology, medical laboratory technology with specialties such as histopathology, cytopathology, hematology, clinical chemistry, microbiology, virology, molecular biology, and health biotechnology. Surgical technology, cardiac care technology, dental technology, renal and dialysis technology, endoscopy technology, optometry and refraction technology, radiography and imaging, radiotherapy, respiratory therapy, nuclear medicine, neurophysiology, and EKG technology are also included.
Other recognized fields cover physiotherapy and rehabilitation, orthotics and prosthetics, occupational therapy, speech therapy, public health technology, nutrition and dietetics, podiatric medicine, psychology and counseling, sports therapy, biomedical technology, emergency and intensive care technology, ophthalmic technology, dispenser technology, and primary health care technology.
Registration of professionals, not health facilities
Officials clarified that only individual professionals working in medical and dental clinics will be licensed by the Allied Health Professionals Council, while healthcare facilities will continue to be registered with their respective healthcare commissions.
The council functions as a professional regulatory body similar in role to the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, but specifically for allied health professionals. The aim is to bring standardization, accountability, and legal recognition to technical healthcare roles that have long remained outside a unified regulatory framework.
Five key professions already brought under licensing
Sindh Healthcare Commission (SHCC) has already begun implementing licensing for selected allied health disciplines. These include occupational therapists, physiotherapists, nutritionists, psychologists, and speech therapists. This step signals the beginning of wider enforcement for all allied health professions.
Compliance and consequences
The notification warns that postgraduate fellows or professionals practicing in disciplines that are not registered with the council may face restrictions under council policy. Hospitals and laboratories have been advised to verify the registration status of their allied health staff and ensure timely compliance to avoid disruption of services.
Health policy experts say the move will help reduce unqualified practice, improve patient safety, and strengthen professional identity for allied health workers. It is also expected to improve workforce planning and create clearer career pathways for thousands of technicians and therapists working across Pakistan.
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