The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) began an indefinite statewide strike on Wednesday, protesting the government’s decision to allow homoeopathic practitioners to register with the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) and prescribe allopathic medicines.
The MMC issued a notification on 30 June allowing homoeopaths to prescribe modern medicines after completing a six-month Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP).
MARD has demanded an immediate suspension of the BHMS-CCMP (Bachelor of Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery-Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology) registration process until the courts deliver a final verdict on the matter.
The doctors’ body said that despite several rounds of discussions with the government and concerned authorities, it had not received any satisfactory assurance on the implementation of the policy.
“The strike began at midnight. We will observe the developments today. If the government does not initiate a dialogue, we will shut down emergency services after 24 hours,” Central MARD president Atharva Shinde told PTI on Wednesday.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, MARD said emergency and casualty services would continue for the first 24 hours in the interest of patient safety. However, outpatient department (OPD) services, routine duties and academic activities at government medical college hospitals across the state would remain suspended.
Several medical organisations, including the Indian Medical Association (IMA), BMC MARD, Maharashtra State Resident Doctors Association, Association of State Medical Interns, Maharashtra Association of Gazetted Medical Officers’ Group-A and Maharashtra State Medical Teachers Association, extended their support to the agitation.
MARD said the strike was being held due to the absence of a clear legal and regulatory framework, with the issue currently pending before the courts. It demanded that no registrations under the BHMS-CCMP framework should be carried out without a transparent, scientifically validated and legally sound regulatory mechanism.
The organisation also urged the state government to address long-standing concerns raised by resident doctors across Maharashtra.
MARD warned that if there was no positive response from the government, all resident doctor services, including emergency care, would be withdrawn from 6 August until further notice.
Clarifying its position, the organisation said the protest was not against any system of medicine or its practitioners, but was aimed at ensuring that policies affecting patient care were introduced only after proper legal scrutiny, scientific assessment and the creation of an appropriate regulatory framework.
Meanwhile, the Mumbai Press Club hosted a debate on Tuesday between representatives of homoeopathy and allopathy. Allopathy representative Jayesh Lele questioned accountability in cases where patients suffer adverse effects from medicines prescribed by homoeopathic doctors.
He also pointed out that dual registration of allopathic and homoeopathic practitioners by medical councils is not permitted in every state.
Representing homoeopathy, Bahubali Shah said the move was necessary due to the shortage of doctors in rural areas.
(With inputs from PTI)
