Maharashtra : The ever-present fight of 2014 between the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy, unani, siddha and homoeopathy (AYUSH) doctors has taken a different turn.
IMA, which always stressed that AYUSH doctors should not be hired by hospitals and had also appealed to major hospitals to shun BAMS and BHMS doctors, has now changed its tune.
A statement from IMA, which will be officially announced on February 8 in Mumbai, says, “AYUSH doctors can be employed but should not be included in any kind of clinical practices, surgeries and cannot prescribe any kind of medicines. They can only assist.”
Dr Arun Halbe, president, IMA Pune branch, said, “A provision mentions that Ayurveda doctors are allowed to use 52 drugs in case of extreme emergencies but the same does not prevail for homoeopathy and naturopathy. The pharmacology course was suggested for the benefit of politicians, as most of them or their relatives are running over 40 homeopathy colleges in the state which are falling short of students.” [Source]
A step towards creating a Mongel sect of Doctors, sorry to see IMA succumbing down under pressure.