IMA Headquarters termed the government’s August 3 Government Resolution (GR) “illegal”. NEW DELHI: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has threatened a nationwide strike if the Maharashtra government does not withdraw its recent decision permitting registration of BHMS graduates (Homepathy) who have completed the Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP) with the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC).In a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday, IMA Headquarters termed the government’s August 3 Government Resolution (GR) “illegal” and urged its immediate cancellation, arguing that it undermines medical education, violates established legal principles and poses a risk to public health.The controversy centres on the state’s decision to allow CCMP-qualified BHMS doctors to register with the Maharashtra Medical Council. The IMA has objected both to the CCMP course and to what it calls “dual medical council registration.”“The CCMP course has not been approved by the erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI), the National Medical Commission (NMC), or the National Commission for Homoeopathy (NCH). Such a course cannot be considered valid and should be discontinued immediately,” the association said in its representation.The doctors’ body also argued that allowing practitioners to hold registrations under two different medical councils is unprecedented in India and could mislead patients regarding a doctor’s qualifications and scope of practice.The IMA further pointed out that the issue is already pending before the Bombay high court in a petition challenging amendments to the Maharashtra Medical Council Act. It said the government should not proceed with registrations while the matter remains sub judice.Questioning the state’s justification of addressing rural doctor shortages, the association claimed the circumstances have changed significantly since similar provisions were introduced over a decade ago.“The Maharashtra government has already done away with the compulsory rural bond system for MBBS graduates because of the non-availability of vacant posts, indicating that there is no longer a shortage of qualified allopathic doctors,” the letter stated.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe association also said equating MBBS graduates, who undergo years of full-time medical education, with CCMP-trained practitioners who complete a part-time course would be unfair to students pursuing modern medicine.Citing the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment in Poonam Verma vs Ashwin Patel (1996), the IMA reiterated that practitioners registered in one recognised system of medicine cannot prescribe medicines or practise another system without recognised qualifications and valid registration in that system.The IMA warned that if the GR is not withdrawn and the CCMP course is not discontinued, it will call for a nationwide strike involving doctors of modern medicine, including medical students, resident doctors and interns across the country.Copies of the representation have also been sent to the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister, Union Health Minister and the Chairperson of the National Medical Commission.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorAnuja JaiswalAnuja Jaiswal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India, with an impressive 18-year career in narrative journalism. She specializes in health and heritage reporting, expertly simplifying complex health information to make it engaging and understandable for readers. Her deep dives into heritage topics are well-researched, resulting in captivating narratives that resonate with her audience. Over the years, she has worked in Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh and West UP, gaining diverse on-ground experience that shapes her storytelling.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’I’m A Farmer’s Son, I Can’t Buy Papers’: In JPSC-JSSC Exam Leak, Students Demand CBI Probe’56% Indian Vehicles Uninsured’: Supreme Court Calls For ‘Challans’, Urgent Enforcement Action’We Feel Cheated’: Jharkhand Student Protesters Voice Anger Over JPSC-JSSC Exam Row’If You Won’t Listen, Then Who Will?’: Jharkhand Student’s Msg To Hemant Soren Over JPSC-JSSC RowIndia Responds After Pakistan Deploys Chinese SH-15 Howitzers Along BorderJharkhand Mob Lynching: Rape Accused Beaten To Death, Police Probe POCSO Case And Mob ViolenceGovt May Allow Merchant Charges On UPI Payments Above Rs 2,000SC Proposes Fuel Ban For Uninsured Vehicles, Calls For Automatic E-ChallansWest Bengal Clears Fast-Track Land Acquisition For Strategic Rail Link Near DoklamSecurity On High Alert: Pak Drone Sighted In Jammu On Eve Of Article 370 Abrogation Anniversary123Photostories5 timeless lessons from your grandparents that modern life forgot10 baby names inspired by dawn, sunset, and the skyBrain teaser optical illusion: You are among the top 1% if you stop all 25 animals hidden in the man’s face within 2 minutesWant Korean glass skin? 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NEW DELHI: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has threatened a nationwide strike if the Maharashtra government does not withdraw its recent decision permitting registration of BHMS graduates (Homepathy) who have completed the Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP) with the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC).In a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday, IMA Headquarters termed the government’s August 3 Government Resolution (GR) “illegal” and urged its immediate cancellation, arguing that it undermines medical education, violates established legal principles and poses a risk to public health.The controversy centres on the state’s decision to allow CCMP-qualified BHMS doctors to register with the Maharashtra Medical Council. The IMA has objected both to the CCMP course and to what it calls “dual medical council registration.”“The CCMP course has not been approved by the erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI), the National Medical Commission (NMC), or the National Commission for Homoeopathy (NCH). Such a course cannot be considered valid and should be discontinued immediately,” the association said in its representation.The doctors’ body also argued that allowing practitioners to hold registrations under two different medical councils is unprecedented in India and could mislead patients regarding a doctor’s qualifications and scope of practice.The IMA further pointed out that the issue is already pending before the Bombay high court in a petition challenging amendments to the Maharashtra Medical Council Act. It said the government should not proceed with registrations while the matter remains sub judice.Questioning the state’s justification of addressing rural doctor shortages, the association claimed the circumstances have changed significantly since similar provisions were introduced over a decade ago.“The Maharashtra government has already done away with the compulsory rural bond system for MBBS graduates because of the non-availability of vacant posts, indicating that there is no longer a shortage of qualified allopathic doctors,” the letter stated.
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The association also said equating MBBS graduates, who undergo years of full-time medical education, with CCMP-trained practitioners who complete a part-time course would be unfair to students pursuing modern medicine.Citing the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment in Poonam Verma vs Ashwin Patel (1996), the IMA reiterated that practitioners registered in one recognised system of medicine cannot prescribe medicines or practise another system without recognised qualifications and valid registration in that system.The IMA warned that if the GR is not withdrawn and the CCMP course is not discontinued, it will call for a nationwide strike involving doctors of modern medicine, including medical students, resident doctors and interns across the country.Copies of the representation have also been sent to the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister, Union Health Minister and the Chairperson of the National Medical Commission.
