MUMBAI—Resident doctors across Maharashtra launched an indefinite statewide strike on Thursday, disrupting outpatient services and elective care at government and civic hospitals as they protested a state government decision to allow certain homeopathy practitioners to prescribe modern medicines after additional certification.
The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD), which represents resident doctors in government and municipal medical colleges, said the industrial action began after the state moved ahead with implementing a policy allowing eligible Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery (BHMS) graduates who complete a Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology to register with the Maharashtra Medical Council and prescribe specified allopathic medicines. The organization said emergency and life-saving services were initially maintained, although some units warned that the protest could escalate if no resolution was reached.
Hospital authorities reported significant disruption to outpatient departments at several public hospitals, with routine consultations, elective procedures and academic activities curtailed as resident doctors stayed away from work. Patients seeking non-emergency treatment experienced delays and rescheduling, while hospitals activated contingency arrangements to maintain critical care services.
MARD and other allopathic medical organizations said they oppose the government's decision because they believe it blurs distinctions between medical training systems and could affect patient safety. The doctors have called on the Maharashtra government to withdraw the measure and engage with stakeholders before implementing any changes to professional registration rules.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) also criticized the policy and warned that it could broaden its agitation beyond Maharashtra if the decision is not reconsidered. The association said permitting homeopathy practitioners to prescribe modern medicines after a certificate course undermines established standards of medical education and practice.
Supporters of the policy, including sections of the homeopathy community, have argued that practitioners who complete the prescribed certification should be permitted to provide a wider range of healthcare services, particularly in areas facing shortages of medical personnel. The state government's decision follows the establishment of a framework for registering eligible practitioners through the Maharashtra Medical Council.
The dispute comes amid broader tensions between allopathic medical organizations and the Maharashtra government over regulation of medical practice. The latest protest follows earlier warnings from doctors' groups that they would intensify industrial action if the registration process for certified homeopathy practitioners proceeded.
As of Thursday, no agreement had been announced between the state government and the protesting resident doctors, and MARD said the strike would continue pending further developments.
