IMA Threatens Statewide Strike Over Homeopathy Registration in Maharashtra
The Maharashtra unit of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has threatened to suspend medical services across the state if the government proceeds with registering homeopathy practitioners who have completed a certificate course in Modern Pharmacology.
The IMA has urged the state government to halt the proposed registration of BHMS-CCMP (Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery – Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology) holders with the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) until the Bombay High Court delivers its final judgment on the matter.
In a statement, the IMA warned that if the government goes ahead with the registration before the court's verdict, the association would be forced to launch a statewide cessation of medical services along with other democratic forms of protest.
The dispute centres on whether homeopathy practitioners with additional pharmacology training should be allowed to register with the MMC, which governs medical practitioners in the state. The IMA argues that such registration would blur the lines between different systems of medicine and compromise patient safety.
Homeopathy advocates, however, contend that the certificate course equips them with essential modern pharmacological knowledge, enabling better patient care. The matter is currently sub judice.
The IMA's threat of a strike has raised concerns about potential disruption to healthcare services in Maharashtra, where millions rely on both allopathic and homeopathic treatments.
