Maharashtra govt pauses registration of homoeopathy doctors with medical council after protests

(Representative Image)

Facing opposition from major medical associations, the Maharashtra government has put on hold a controversial notification that allowed homoeopathy practitioners to register with the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) after completing a short-term course in modern pharmacology.

According to a report by The Indian Express, the government on Friday formed a committee to examine the concerns raised by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and other groups regarding the June 30 notification.

The order, which was to come into effect on July 15, permitted homoeopathy doctors who had completed the Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP) to register with the MMC.

This move, many doctors said, would allow them to practice modern medicine legally.

Following a meeting between IMA leaders and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday night, the state assured the protesting doctors that it would suspend the registration process. A circular was subsequently issued confirming the suspension.

The report citing Dr Santosh Kadam, president of IMA Maharashtra, said that the association’s core objection was the potential legalisation of crosspathy. “If homoeopathy practitioners are registered with the MMC after completing the bridge course, it would allow them to practice modern medicine,” he said.

Several other medical bodies, including the Maharashtra Senior Resident Doctors’ Association, supported the IMA’s call for a token strike and had also raised questions about whether a short bridge course equips practitioners adequately to prescribe allopathic drugs.

The IMA had earlier filed a writ petition in the Bombay High Court challenging the potential inclusion of homoeopathy doctors in the MMC register.

Following the discussions, the state government has formed a committee chaired by the Commissioner of Medical Education. The panel includes officials from the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, the MMC, the Maharashtra Homoeopathy Council, and others. As per The Indian Express, the committee has been asked to submit its report within two months. Until then, registration of CCMP-qualified homoeopathy practitioners with the MMC has been suspended.

Dr Vinky Rughwani, MMC administrator, confirmed to The Indian Express that the government had agreed to withdraw the notification for now. “Till such time that they submit the report, the government has agreed to withdraw the notification,” he said.

Meanwhile, voices from the homoeopathy side have defended the CCMP initiative. Dr R S Indulkar, advisor to the Maharashtra Homoeopathy Council, told The Indian Express that the course was introduced to address doctor shortages in rural areas.

“There is a need for doctors in remote corners of the state. By undergoing this course, the homoeopathy practitioner upgrades their skill and can prescribe allopathic medicines,” she said. She also pointed out that many hospitals in urban areas already employ homoeopathy doctors, questioning what she called a “dichotomy”.

Despite the suspension, Dr Bahubali Shah, administrator of the Maharashtra Homoeopathy Council, has announced he will continue his hunger strike in protest.