The Hindu : Doctors up in arms against Centre

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 20, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

Doctors up in arms against Centre

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM June 19. A showdown between Allopathic medicine and other indigenous medicine systems is on the cards with the doctors in the State vehemently opposing a move by the Centre to distribute Ayurveda, Homoeo and Unani medicines through the sub centres and primary health centres of the Health department, as part of the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) programme.

The Kerala Government Medical Officers' Association (KGMOA), has gone on record to allege that by attempting to make practitioners of modern medicine prescribe Ayurveda or Unani medicines, the Central Government is trying to aid the backdoor entry of indigenous medicine systems into modern medicine.

"There are Ayurveda dispensaries in all panchayats in the State through which these medicines can be distributed. So why should the Centre make the practitioners of allopathic medicine system prescribe Ayurveda drugs,'' asks B. Mohandas, the district president of KGMOA.

It was in May that the Centre announced the decision to procure and supply Ayurvedic and Unani drugs as part of the ongoing RCH programme. Accordingly, certain Ayurveda and Unani drugs were identified with the help of the Department of Indian System of Medicine, keeping in view the utility of these in treating common ailments in pregnant women and children.

These drugs are to be distributed as medicine kits to the sub-centres under the Department of Health in nine States. The Chief Medical Officers in each district are responsible for receiving and supplying these kits to all sub- centres.

Since the doctors of modern medicine are not familiar with the indigenous medicine systems, the Centre has also issued a directive that women health workers, health officials and doctors in PHCs be given training in prescribing these drugs. The training is to be conducted by select Ayurvedic training institutes and the process will be funded and coordinated by the National Institute of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi.

The KGMOA's stand is that each medicine system be allowed to retain its individual identity and that the choice of treatment be left to the patients or their relatives.

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