Homeopath doctors across state agitate for bridge course

Mumbai: Hundreds of homeopathy practitioners across the state have started an agitation in support of last year’s amendment to the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill which makes a six-month bridge course mandatory for AYUSH (ayurvedic, homeopathic and unani) doctors, and to protest the stand of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) which is opposing the amendment.

Nearly 25 AYUSH doctors have begun a hunger strike at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai since Tuesday in support of the bill. A delegation of the Homeopathic Doctors’ Association on Wednesday also visited MNS chief Raj Thackeray’s Dadar residence to ask for his assistance.

Mr Thackeray assured them of his support, claimed Vasai-based homeopathy practitioner, Dr Swapnil Mahajan. “Mr Thackeray said that he needs data of all the homeopathic and ayurvedic doctors practising in private hospitals. He said he will analyse the data and speak to the chief minister,” said Mr Mahajan.

On Sunday, allopathic doctors from IMA threatened to observe an “Allopathy Mukta Bharat” if the bridge course clause wasn’t removed from the proposed NMC Bill as such a course was inadequate for AYUSH doctors to practice allopathy and could jeopardise patients’ safety. Dr Mahajan warned, “If our demands are not fulfilled, we will take to the streets and a ‘jail bharo andolan will be practised.”

Meanwhile, Dr Pravin Shingare, director, medical education and research (DMER), said, “Mostly doctors refrain from serving in rural areas.

But AYUSH doctors provide medical services in rural areas. In order to train these doctors to prescribe modern medicines along with traditional medicines, the government had initiated the bridge course.”