Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram   

Distribution of Ayurveda medicine kits opposed

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM June 19. The Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) has urged the State and Central Governments to withdraw the proposed move of the Union Health Ministry to distribute Ayurveda and Unani medicines through sub centres under the Health Department as part of the Reproductive and Child Health Programme in nine States in the country.

The KGMOA president, K. N. Prasad, told reporters here that the move was totally unscientific since the Health Department officials were unaware of the use of several Ayurvedic medicines. Moreover, the move was totally against the directives of the Medical Council and the Supreme Court, which clearly prevents an allopath doctor from prescribing Ayurvedic, Homoeo, Siddha and Unani medicines and using them for treatment. Prescription or administration of non-allopathic medicines by allopathic doctors shall render such doctors liable for prosecution under civil and criminal laws resulting in the cancellation of their registration, he added.

Though most of the Allopathy doctors and nurses were unaware of the use of Ayurvedic medicines, steps were being taken for imparting training for them in Ayurveda, Mr. Prasad said. In a State where there are plenty of Ayurvedic doctors and dispensaries, the present move by the Central Government would only lead to problems in the medical sector, he added.

Mr. Prasad added that move would only pave way for the creation of what he termed as "mixed medicinal practice'' in the medical field. The patients have the right to choose the system of medicine, which they need and each branch of medicine should be kept separate from the other to maintain its individuality He said the KGMOA had issued directives to the District Medical Officers not to accept the Ayurvedic and Unani medicinal kits.

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