There is a growing shortage of qualified allopathic doctors keen to work in rural areas. Most go overseas creating this large void in India's medical system.
Should Ayurvedic doctors be allowed to prescribe allopathic medicines? Seemaa Kamdar finds out
The death of Poonam Salvi, 22, while delivering a baby boy on Tuesday, in a Powai nursing home run by an Ayurvedic doctor, has cast a big question mark over the state government's move to permit medical graduates in alternative streams to practice allopathy. The scheme is to be implemented at state-run public health centres.
There is a growing shortage of qualified allopathic doctors keen to work in rural areas. Most complete their education and go overseas creating this large void in India's medical system.
In order to fill the large number of vacancies in rural areas, the health department is keen on filling up these posts with Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) graduates. They believe these doctors could prescribe
allopathic drugs after a brief training session in allopathy.
This proposal, which has made an appearance several times in the past, has come up against resistance from the medical community. Allopathic practitioners see it as an effort to get other practitioners in through the backdoor.
Ayurveda graduates are trained in clinical aspects of medicine just like allopathy graduates, but without pharmacology, as the treatment methodology is different. While conceding there are not enough allopathic graduates available, Dr Lalit Kapoor, managing trustee of the Association of Medical Consultants, says, "It's a welcome move, provided these doctors limit themselves to the clinical part alone. Many nursing homes today have Ayurvedic RMOs (resident medical officers) who do a good job." However, they should not be allowed to dispense drugs, he contends.
"They are taught to carry out health check-ups like checking the pulse, blood pressure etc, but they should not be prescribing allopathic drugs unless they are trained," he adds.
Dr Anil Kumar, former president of the Cardiological Society of India, has no problem with making use of all medical talent available.
"It's okay if these practitioners of alternative of medicine prescribe their brand of medicine. But if they are going to be trained to do what we do, it's not fair to the large mass of (allopathic) doctors that the state-run medical
institutes churn out every year after year," he contends.
Ayurveda expert Sadanand Sardeshmukh says that while Ayurveda graduates have knowledge of medicine, some training will be necessary. At the same time, he says there are several issues which need to be sorted out.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}