Paramedical practitioners provide advisory, diagnostic, curative and preventive medical services more limited in scope and complexity than those carried out by medical doctors. They work autonomously or with limited supervision of medical doctors, and apply advanced clinical procedures for treating and preventing diseases, injuries and other physical or mental impairments common to specific communities.

Tasks performed usually include: conducting physical examinations of patients and interviewing them and their families to determine their health status and recording patients’ medical information; performing basic or more routine medical and surgical procedures, including prescribing and administering treatments, medications and other preventive or curative measures, especially for common diseases and disorders; administering  or ordering diagnostic tests, such as X-ray, electrocardiogram and laboratory tests;  performing therapeutic procedures such as injections, immunizations, suturing and wound care, and infection management; assisting medical doctors with complex surgical procedures;  monitoring patients’  progress and response to treatment, and identifying signs and symptoms requiring referral to medical doctors; advising patients and families on diet, exercise and other habits which aid prevention or treatment of disease and disorders;  identifying and referring complex or unusual cases to medical doctors,  hospitals or other places for specialized care; reporting births, deaths and notifiable diseases to government authorities to meet legal and professional reporting requirements.