{
  "id": 2438121,
  "title": "Maharashtra Launches New Health Training Policy To Strengthen Public Healthcare Workforce",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/maharashtra-launches-new-health-training-policy-to-strengthen-public",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-21T20:58:44.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/maharashtra-launches-new-health-training-policy-to-strengthen-public-healthcare-workforce"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mumbai: Maharashtra's Public Health Department has launched a new training policy to enhance the skills, knowledge and professional conduct of its workforce and elevate the quality of public healthcare services statewide, announced Health Minister Prakash Abitkar on Thursday. This policy aims to revolutionize the existing training system by treating it as a critical investment in human resource development rather than an administrative obligation. Training institutions throughout Maharashtra will come under the technical and administrative oversight of the Directorate of Public Health Services Training in Nagpur to ensure consistent quality and efficiency.\n\nThe State Institute of Health and Family Welfare (SIHFW) in Nagpur will serve as the nodal institution for healthcare training. Additional training facilities at divisional, district and taluka levels will be bolstered, with new centers established as needed. All regular and contractual staff are now mandated to undergo training. Newly hired employees must complete initial training within a year of employment, while those promoted to higher positions must also participate in relevant training. Refresher courses will be offered intermittently every four to six years, followed by advanced or senior-level training after 10 years of service. A 28-day residential 'Skill Lab' program is also slated to provide hands-on training, encompassing 20 days of practical work in skill laboratories and eight days of field training at district hospitals.\n\nA five-year training framework and annual training plans will be developed for each position, tailored to the specific requirements. Training programs will also align closely with employees' actual job responsibilities. Speaking on the initiative, Health Minister Abitkar expressed optimism that the policy would cultivate a skilled and competent healthcare workforce, thereby enabling the state to deliver superior-quality services to its citizens. Principal Secretary Nipun Vinayak echoed similar sentiments, stating that the move would bolster the public health system, standardize training procedures, and bolster citizens' trust in government healthcare services.",
  "summary": "Mumbai: The Maharashtra Public Health Department has introduced a new training policy aimed at strengthening the skills, knowledge and professional approach of its officers and employees and improving the quality of public healthcare services across the state, Health Minister Prakash Abitkar said on Thursday. The policy seeks to bring about a major transformation in the existing training system…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}