CHENNAI: The doctors association has condemned the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (DPH) for signing an MoU with the Commissionerate of Indian Medicine and Homeopathy and the National Institute of Siddha for jointly promoting integrative healthcare. The association alleged the state is acting in the interest of the Union government whose aim is to achieve ‘One Nation-One Health system’ by 2030.
The director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Dr TS Selvavinayagam, in a release said the state aims to provide affordable and culturally rooted healthcare options to its people by integrating validated Siddha practices into the public health system. The initiative aims to bridge and strengthen the modern medicine with the rich heritage of the Indian System of Medicine. The partnership reflects the government’s vision of promoting holistic, inclusive and accessible healthcare, he said.
Dr GR Ravindranath, general secretary, the Doctors’ Association for Social Equality (DASE), in his statement said DPH’s attempt to implement the union government’s integrated medical system is condemnable. It will ruin people’s access to quality medical treatment, he said.
“The centre is imposing an integrated medical system through the National Medical Commission, NITI Aayog, National Health Policy 2017, National Education Policy 2020, National Health Commission, and the Union Public Health Department. As part of this, the centre is trying to launch a new integrated medical course at JIPMER, Puducherry, by combining the modern medical course MBBS with Ayurvedic course BAMS.” he said.
Dr A Ramalingam, secretary, Service Doctors and Post Graduates Association, termed the move “Mixopathy”, and claimed it will lead to gradual decrease in standards of all systems of medicine. The state health department is committing a historic blunder by taking the regressive step, he said.