PUNE: The Indian Medical Association (IMA), Maharashtra state is irked with the State government for officially promoting crosspathy by allowing Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) graduates to prescribe drugs of modern medicine.
In an official statement issued by the IMA, it deplores this step of the State government as it can endanger thousands of lives. According to the IMA, the State government has reportedly said that these graduates have had a six-month training in modern medicine and cleared an exit test as well. The government proposes to post them at health and wellness centres in 19 districts of Maharashtra.
The official statement by IMA further said that it is perplexing that a government which has sworn on the Constitution of India to guarantee the right to life and health of the public would choose to abdicate these responsibilities in such irresponsible manner.
Speaking about this, Dr Hozie Kapadia, President of IMA, Maharashtra state, said that wellness centres are, in fact, the sub-centres providing preventive health care, vaccinations, antenatal care, child health and a multitude of other health care services.
“They should not be made into ‘mixopathy’ dispensaries manned by half-trained medical professionals. Quality primary care from competent doctors of modern medicine is a right of the people. Who will be responsible for the havoc wrought by these professionals,” asked Dr Kapadia.
IMA will fight this fraud on people with all its might. IMA has appealed to the State government to stop this mala fide initiative immediately and appoint MBBS doctors in wellness centres under Government Health Services on a permanent basis.
