Talks Fail, Resident Doctors Extend Strike Against Homeopathy Registration Policy

Health services across Maharashtra faced disruptions on Wednesday as resident doctors launched an indefinite strike against the state government's decision to permit eligible homeopathy practitioners to register with the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) and prescribe modern medicines after completing a certification course.

The agitation, led by the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD), continued after discussions with senior government officials failed to produce any firm assurance on the doctors' key demands.

Resident doctors from 32 state-run medical colleges and hospitals, along with those from civic hospitals in Mumbai and Thane, withdrew routine services, affecting outpatient departments (OPDs) and other non-emergency healthcare facilities. However, authorities at Mumbai's J J Hospital said patient care remained largely unaffected as contingency arrangements had been activated.

Following the meeting, MARD said the government acknowledged its concerns and assured that the matter would be placed before the Chief Minister. Officials also noted that certain aspects of the issue are currently sub judice, limiting immediate action. Despite this, the association said the absence of a concrete commitment prompted it to continue the strike.

According to Central MARD president Atharva Shinde, resident doctors have suspended routine OPDs, inpatient services, ward rounds, elective surgeries, academic activities, laboratory services and fever clinics. However, emergency services, including casualty care, trauma treatment, ICUs, labour rooms, emergency surgeries, blood banks and life-saving procedures, remain operational.

The controversy stems from an MMC notification issued on June 30, allowing BHMS graduates to prescribe allopathic medicines after completing the Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP). MARD has demanded that the registration process be suspended until the courts deliver a final verdict.

Doctors staged demonstrations at several medical colleges, including Grant Medical College, GMCH and IGGMC in Nagpur, carrying placards and raising slogans. Several medical associations, including the Indian Medical Association (IMA), have extended support to the agitation, signalling that the standoff could continue unless a mutually acceptable resolution is reached.