Maharashtra doctors call off strike after HC order: Why they protested, allopathy vs homeopathy explained
Resident doctors in Maharashtra on Thursday called off their indefinite strike after the Bombay High Court directed them to resume work immediately, bringing relief to
Resident doctors in Maharashtra on Thursday called off their indefinite strike after the Bombay High Court directed them to resume work immediately, bringing relief to public hospitals across the state, PTI reported. The protest, however, has reignited a long-running debate over whether homeopathy practitioners should be allowed to prescribe allopathic medicines and why similar rights granted to ayurvedic practitioners have not sparked comparable opposition. Doctors end strike after high court intervention The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) assured the Bombay High Court that it would withdraw its strike after the court ordered resident doctors to immediately return to duty, expressing concern over the disruption to patient care. The strike had begun on Wednesday against the Maharashtra government's decision to allow eligible homeopathy practitioners to register with the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC). Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said the state government would comply with the High Court's directions and urged doctors not to disrupt healthcare services.
"I believe that protests should not be conducted in a manner that disrupts patient care... For the state government, all doctors, regardless of the medical system they practice, are equal," Fadnavis told reporters. He reiterated that the government would abide by whatever directions the high court ultimately issues in the matter. Also Read | No more fake paneer: Maharashtra FDA bans analogue substitutes for a year Why are doctors protesting? The agitation centres on the Maharashtra government's decision to implement provisions allowing qualified BHMS (Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery) practitioners to obtain registration with the Maharashtra Medical Council after completing a prescribed bridge course. According to a TOI report, resident doctors argue that such registration blurs the distinction between modern medicine and homeopathy and could compromise patient safety. They contend that prescribing allopathic medicines requires the extensive clinical training and practical exposure that MBBS graduates undergo over several years.
The Maharashtra Medical Council recently registered its first homeopathy practitioner under the amended law, triggering the latest protests. Also Read | Maharashtra Tourism Leads Global Conversations on Tourism, MICE What does the law say? The controversy stems from the Maharashtra Homeopathic Practitioners and Maharashtra Medical Council (Amendment) Act, 2014. The law introduced a one-year bridge course for BHMS graduates. After successfully completing the course, eligible practitioners can prescribe specified allopathic medicines and obtain dual registration with both the Maharashtra Homeopathy Council and the Maharashtra Medical Council. The legislation has remained tied up in litigation for years. Following directions from the Bombay High Court, the state recently reopened the registration process, prompting resident doctors to launch the strike. What do homeopathy practitioners say? Homeopathy practitioners argue that they are being treated differently despite seeking rights similar to those already available to ayurvedic practitioners.
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