The Uttarakhand government on Monday permitted Ayurveda doctors to prescribe allopathic medicines in an “emergency” situation. The Indian Medical Council (IMA) an apex body of the allopathic practitioners, reacted sharply and termed the state government’s decision as ‘illegal’.
Ayush Minister Harak Singh Rawat made the announcement on the sidelines of a programme to commemorate the International Day of Yoga at the Uttarakhand Ayurvedic University in Dehradun on Monday. He said the decision was made for the benefit of people living in the state’s remote hill areas, where primary health centres are dominated by ayurvedic doctors.
Appreciating the move, the state’s Ayush Minister Harak Singh Rawat said chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat has given a long-awaited approval to the demand of Ayurveda doctors. “The Ayurveda doctors for long were asking if they can get permission to prescribe allopathic medicines like their counterparts in states like Himachal Pradesh,” says the minister. Ayush minister claimed the decision will have a major impact on the healthcare services.
“We have approved their (Ayurveda doctors) demand to prescribe allopathic medicines in emergency conditions. We are hopeful that by this decision thousands of people in the remote areas of the state will get a lot of help as there are hardly any (allopathic) doctors,” he added.
Interestingly, the state government’s decision comes at a time when experts of both streams are embroiled in a debate whether allopathy is best over Ayurveda.
While speaking to media, IMA, Uttarakhand Secretary Ajay Khanna said, “It is illegal and falls into the category of mixopathy.”
“Mixopathy will only harm patients in an emergency. The Supreme Court and the high courts are very clear on this. Ayurvedic doctors cannot practise allopathy as they are not qualified for it,” he said.
He then asked, “How can ayurvedic doctors prescribe allopathic medicines without knowing about allopathy?”
On the IMA’s reaction to the announcement, Bharatiya Chikitsa Parishad, Uttarakhand vice president and senior physician JN Nautiyal said, “The IMA has double standards. Ayush doctors work in the ICUs and emergency wards of hospitals. The IMA has no problem with that. But now, when something is going to benefit such a large number of people in the hills, they have a problem.”
There is an ongoing debate on ayurveda versus allopathy in the country which started in May when Swami Ramdev questioned the efficiency of allopathic drugs in the treatment of COVID-19.
Taking cognizance of his remarks, the IMA served him a defamation notice and demanded compensation of Rs 1,000 crore from him.
