Homeopaths can practice allopathy after studying: Maharashtra government
MUMBAI: Maharashtra government today told the Legislative Assembly that doctors wanting to practice allopathy should study pharmacology subject and an ordinance to this effect will be promulgated next month.
Replying to a calling attention notice on the issue of demand of homeopathic doctors to practice allopathy since there is shortage of allopathic doctors in rural areas, state Medical Education Minister Vijay Kumar Gavit said it was not possible legally to allow medicos to practice a medicine which they have not studied.
“Unani, homeopathy and others doctors wishing to practice allopathy should study pharmacology. It will be a full course of one year and they will be allowed to practice only after they clear the examination,” the minister said.
Accordingly, Maharashtra Medical Practitioners Act, 1961 will be amended.
He said the Homeopathy Council in Delhi has been requested to include the subject of pharmacology in the homeopathy curriculum.
Nana Patole, Kushal Bopche, Sanjay Kute (all BJP) said ayurvedic doctors are allowed to practice allopathy in primary health care centres, to which the minister said there is an optional subject of pharmacology in ayurvedic syllabus.
“Those who have studied pharmacology can practice allopathy,” he said.
BJP legislator Girish Mahajan said there is an acute shortage of allopathic doctors in rural areas.
Vijay Waddetiwar (Cong) said homeopathic doctors in rural areas treat patients in remote areas and save lives but still have to face legal problems because they are not allowed to practice allopathy.
Act should be amended for both Homoepath Doctors and patients benefit. Shortage of MBBS Doctors in Rural/semi urban areas will be replaced by Homoepath/Unanni/Auyrvedic Doctors
It is very difficulty to get the govt job even after completing BHMS,although same syllabus like MBBS. A large section of people, still not believe the Homoepathy. On this amendment of Act, will allow Homoepath to prescribe allopathy medicine in emergency, as well as to enhance the chance of getting the job og RMO in Nursing Home/Primary Health Centers.
Kindly share , where this amendment , will applicable for all India/ other states also.
It is really very good to know about such a decision of Maharastra Government regarding the above and myself being a homoeopath welcomes this by heart. But regarding all the personal views mentioned above I would like put forward some points :
1. In case one reads pharmacology, does it means that he/she SHOULD have to use allopathic medicines only for treatment and can never use homeopathic medicines – I think it is solely his/her personal decision whether he should use allopathy or homeopathy for treatment as per requirement and need of the disease condition.
2. We, all the homeopaths know it very well that each and every pathies have their own benefits as well as limitations and homeopathy is not an exception – we have to admit that in case of any emergency condition like road accidents,etc we need to take help of the substitute medicines(i.e, allopathic medicines)as per requirement and it is also been supported by Dr. Hahnemann as mentioned in the book of Organon of Medicine). So in that case if we know about the emergency medicines of allopathy – we can treat such conditions and in that case administration of allopathic mode of treatment, what is the harm in it??
3. Now a days, we came across so many patients who comes to us for treatment after a long years of treatment with allopathic drugs without help as such, but as most of us do not have any knowledge about pharmacology, we either have to wait for a long time to give proper treatment and medicine to them until we get complete disease picture or we have to select medicines based on the incomplete disease picture – but if we have the knowledge of pharmacology : We could understand the exact disease picture by knowing that what is the patient’s original disease and what has been occurred due to the side effects of them, so indirectly it will help us to make the totality of symptoms.
4. We also know there are many such disease conditions that can be treated best by our homeopathy and not by allopathic drugs. In such cases if any patient visit to us for treatment of such disease , we can easily clarify them that the condition with which he/she is suffering from,can be treated best by homeopathy best and not by allopathy which may cause some adverse effects – Most of them I think will not refuse to go for homeopathic treatment (which they would have otherwise chosen allopathic medicines for treatment) and as a result we will get a golden chance to prove our medicines.
4. Last but not the least I personally cannot deny that money is also mandatory for all of us to lead a healthy life style. And still our surroundings, our governments has not yet become that much liberal that they can depend on us and provide us with jobs with proper honorarium. Still most of us (except few homeopaths) have to be satisfied with private practice (those who get the chance to do so) otherwise there are so many doctors who has to spend about 3-5 years (after passing out) to get even a small room for private practice within their budget. And the condition is worst for a student who have passed from a private college because even after passing, they didn’t receive a nominal amount of money in the internship period with which he could start or arrange for a room for practice.
There fore, without disrespecting anyone and any mode of treatment I would like to say – What is the harm if the government is thinking of teaching – pharmacology to the homeopaths, giving us a chance to earn “at par” allopaths, not wasting few more years of their life. It is my request to all those doctors (homeopaths)who are against this decision of the government,that if we, rather than thinking it as a last nail to our coffin, why cannot we think it as a new scope for us??. If an allopathic doctor could specialize themselves with homeopathic medicines then why can’t we??
One more thing I would like to add – a small request to the concerned Government Authority who are thinking of including pharmacology within homeopathic curriculum — Why do not they make this a totally separate specialization course (As homoeopathy is a Specialization course of MBBS doctors in foreign university) that can be availed by those homoeopathic doctors who wishes to practice allopathic mode of treatment other than homoeopathy. And the doctors who wants to practice homoeopathy solely could practice it without any hesitation. So in this way they will not hurt our homoeopathic ego and they will get a group of capable doctors they required for running healthcare system of medicine in India properly.
It is very much unfortunate that not the homoeopathic fraternity, but a state Govt, who has no authority, no knowledge about homoeopathic science, is deciding about our science. In homoeopathy there is no scope, no provision of allopathic medication. Allopathy & homoeopathy are two distictly different stream, different science. Unscientific amalgamation of two will prove detrimental to both the science and to patient too. Govt can take advantage of exclusive homoeopathic practice in Rural areas, what is highly effective and encouraging.
Central Council of homoeopathy should not take any such step to include pharmacology in homoeopathic syllabus and curriculum.
Dr P.K.Bhattacheryay D.M.S., M.D. ( Hom.)
what is superior?material or dynamic? what is faster ? why homoeopath need allopathic medicine to treat patient? practice homoeopathy is best. think about it.