Mumbai: More than 9,000 homeopathic doctors in Maharashtra, all certified under the Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP), have called off their three-day hunger strike following an assurance from the state government. Officials have sought four days to review their demands and respond.
The striking doctors, many of whom had assembled at Azad Maidan in Mumbai, have been demanding the immediate reinstatement of their right to practise modern medicine under the CCMP framework. The protest was triggered by the suspension of CCMP registrations on July 11, after the Indian Medical Association (IMA) raised concerns over patient safety and the issue of cross-pathy — where one system of medicine prescribes treatment from another.
Dr Bahubali Shah, Administrator of the Maharashtra Council of Homoeopathy, said that the hunger strike prompted swift attention from the government. “The Chief Minister called a meeting on the very first day of the strike. During the meeting, the state government expressed concerns raised by the IMA over allowing homeopathic doctors to practise modern medicine. We assured Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis that CCMP-qualified practitioners are competent and there would be no compromise on patient safety,” he said.
Following this discussion, the government requested four days to review the matter. Dr Shah confirmed that the strike was called off on Tuesday evening after this assurance but warned that the doctors would take a fresh decision if a concrete resolution is not announced within eight days.
The Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) had earlier issued a notification on June 30 permitting CCMP-certified doctors to register and practise modern medicine within a defined scope. However, this notification was withdrawn on July 11 following objections from the IMA, and all new registrations under the programme were suspended until further notice.
In an attempt to address the growing unrest, the state government has formed a seven-member expert committee comprising professionals from both allopathy and homeopathy, and given it two months to submit its report. However, the protesting doctors have raised concerns over the panel’s composition, pointing out that only one member holds a BHMS qualification, despite the fact that the issue directly impacts the homeopathic community.
The agitating doctors are demanding the reinstatement of CCMP registrations, reversal of the suspension orders issued by the Medical Education and Drugs Department and the FDA, and greater representation of BHMS-qualified doctors in any future expert committees. They have also urged the government to formally acknowledge their role in providing crucial healthcare services in rural, tribal, and underserved areas, where CCMP-certified practitioners often serve as the only accessible providers of modern medical care.
