Maharashtra resident doctors begin indefinite strike over BHMS registration under Maharashtra Medical Council

Resident doctors across Maharashtra began an indefinite statewide strike on Wednesday to protest the state governments decision to allow homoeopathy practitioners to register under the Maharashtra Medical Council MMC and prescribe modern medicines after completing a certification courseThe agitation has been called by the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors MARD which has demanded the immediate suspension of the registration process for Bachelor of Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery BHMS graduates who have completed the Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology CCMPThe protest follows an MMC notification issued on June 30 permitting eligible homoeopathy practitioners to register with the council after completing the sixmonth CCMP programmeMARD has argued that the policy should not be implemented until the matter which is currently pending before the courts is decidedEmergency services to continue for first 24 hoursCentral MARD president Atharva Shinde said the strike began at midnight and that emergency services would continue during the initial 24hour period in the interest of patient safetyThe strike commenced at midnight We will observe the developments today If the government doesnt initiate a dialogue we will shut down emergency services after 24 hours Shinde told PTIAccording to a statement issued by MARD outpatient departments OPDs routine clinical duties elective procedures and academic activities at government medical college hospitals across Maharashtra have been suspended from WednesdayThe organisation said emergency and casualty services would continue during the first day of the protest to minimise inconvenience to patients requiring urgent medical careDoctors seek suspension of BHMSCCMP registrationMARD said it had held multiple rounds of discussions with the state government and concerned authorities but had not received any assurance regarding the implementation of the BHMSCCMP policyThe association has demanded that no registration or implementation under the BHMSCCMP framework should take place until there is a comprehensive legally valid transparent and scientifically supported regulatory mechanismIt also urged the Maharashtra government to address several longpending issues concerning resident doctors including working conditions and servicerelated demandsThe organisation maintained that the matter requires judicial clarity before any policy changes affecting clinical practice are implementedMedical bodies extend support to agitationSeveral medical organisations have extended support to the indefinite strike called by Central MARDThese include the Indian Medical Association IMA BMC MARD Maharashtra State Resident Doctors Association Association of State Medical Interns Maharashtra Association of Gazetted Medical Officers GroupA and the Maharashtra State Medical Teachers AssociationAccording to MARD if no positive resolution emerges resident doctors will intensify the agitation from August 6 by withdrawing all services including emergency and casualty care until further directions are issued by the associationThe Central MARD reiterates that this agitation is not against any system of medicine or its practitioners The movement is solely aimed at ensuring that any policy affecting patient care is implemented only after due legal scrutiny scientific evaluation and establishment of an appropriate regulatory framework the organisation saidDebate highlights differing views on policyAmid the ongoing controversy the Mumbai Press Club hosted a discussion on Tuesday involving representatives from the allopathy and homoeopathy communitiesRepresenting the allopathy side Jayesh Lele questioned the implications of allowing homoeopathy practitioners to prescribe modern medicines particularly in cases where patients experience adverse reactions to prescribed treatment He also pointed out that dual registration for allopathy and homoeopathy practitioners is not followed uniformly across statesSpeaking for the homoeopathy community Bahubali Shah defended the policy stating that the move could help address the shortage of doctors in rural areas where access to healthcare professionals remains limitedWith inputs from PTI