Members say the term ‘Dr’misleads people as most think it means an allopathic practitioner; They want prefixes like vaidya, hakim and homeopath to be used by practitioners in Ayurveda, Unani medicine and Homeopathy
If the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has its way, then Ayurveda, Unani and Homeopathy practitioners will have to start prefixing vaidya, hakim and homeopath before their names instead of simply calling themselves doctor.
IMA members say this has to be done as just the term ‘Dr’ misleads the public, as most assume that it means an allopathic practitioner. “There should be some clarity about medical professionals as there are so many streams of medicine. Also the number of doctors has increased and so has quackery,” said Dr Jayesh Lele, secretary, IMA.
“We have written to the Indian Medical Council (Ayurveda), National Integrated Medical Association (NIMA), Homeopathic Council of India and other smaller councils as well, regarding this,” said Lele.
In the past few years, disputes between allopathic practitioners and those practicing alternative fields of medicines like ayurveda, homeopathy etc have grown stronger. Doctors have time and again said that ayurveda or unani practitioners prescribing allopathic drugs is nothing but quackery.
“A majority of ayurvedic doctors today prescribe allopathic medicines. People take them unsuspectingly as most of them are not even aware about the doctor’s qualification,” said Lele. “For people, a doctor is just a doctor. There is a very small population that is aware about the streams of medicines and one should cross check the qualifications of a medical professional before going to him,” he added.
IMA feels that if ayurveda, unani and homeopathy practitioners start using the appropriate abbreviations, it will only benefit the public. “As per the rules, anyone who practices ayurveda is a vaidya, a unani practitioner is a hakim and a homeopathy practitioner is a homeopath. So why not just follow the rules and simplify it for the masses?” said Lele.
The president of the Central Council of Homeopathy, Dr Ramjee Singh said that members will discuss the issue in their upcoming meeting on August 28. “They can demand anything. It is not necessary that we give in to their demands,” said Singh.
Dr K Kohli, director of Ayurveda, Government of Maharashtra, remained unavailable for comments.
A member of Central Council of India Medicine which governs Unani as well as Ayurveda practitioners, Dr Mushtaque Mukadam, said, “The abbreviation ‘Dr’ is a translation of vaidya or hakim. Why complicate the terms for people?” [Source]
Then no one should be allowed to prefix Dr. :p
Those practising allopathy should also prefix allopath instead of dr. for benefit of people so no one confuses them for a dentist or vet
Dictionary meaning of Doctor;
A person, especially a physician, dentist, or veterinarian, trained in the healing arts and licensed to practice.
Sorry Dr.its not the sole property of Allopaths
Why can’t allopaths just use Allopath at the end of their name, it is nothing but confusing public, dr is nothing but translation. Is is not allopaths doing quackery by prescribing useless medicines, dumping unwanted medicines in to human bodies. cause for early diabetes, obesity, hypothyroidism, precipitate auto immune disorders. A debate must be conducted to know the efficacy of medical systems.
Why do these Allopaths fear Ayush medical practioners.
We are proud to mention .
DR.S.K.VASHISHT B.sc D.H.M.S HOMOEOPATH
My learned friends of IMA are not aware of Integrative Medicine which is a part and parcel medical curricula of medical education and in practice existing in almost all developing countries. Integrative medicine includes all important part of health care sciences including Ayurveda,Chinese medicine, Homeopathy etc. with conventional (chemical)medicine.
Doctor is not any bodies proprietary, such thought reflects mean mentality. ?What about other Doctorates in different subjects.