Bridge course for homoeopaths to practice allopathy stands invalid as petition on crosspathy yet to be disposed off

• Homeopaths cannot practice allopathy as the matter is sub judice in the court and stands invalid in the absence of a clear verdict by the HC on the petition, according to a senior official associated with the development.
• The government cited shortage of allopathic doctors in rural areas for passing the decision.  Union health ministry had asked the Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) to develop bridge courses for Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani doctors to provide them competency to practice preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative allopathic medicine in respect to the commonly encountered health problems.
• CCIM is the statutory body constituted under the Indian Medicine Central Council Act, 1970. The main object of the council is to prescribe minimum standards of education in Indian Systems of Medicine. 
• MMC and MCI had petitioned four months ago to the Bombay HC in opposition to crosspathy practised in the state wherein Ayurveda and Homoeopathy practitioners are allowed to prescribe allopathy medicines which is not in accordance to the MMC Act.
• With the recently dissolved MMC looking at a revival with notification of elections in December this year, the petition on crosspathy will be considered and decision on the same will be taken by the newly formed council based on the court proceedings post-elections. The petition on crosspathy was submitted along with the petition on notifying elections this year almost four months ago.  MMC is set to go for election on December 18, 2016 based on the state government notification and has decided to chalk out a future course of action on cases related to crosspathy in the state.
• The notification on elections has come as a welcome surprise for MMC in view of the fact that its administration was not running effectively as the present Council's five year tenure got over on May 21, 2016.
• Now since the elections have been notified, the council will decide the future course of action on pending petition on crosspathy in the HC after the elections are over. The council had come to a standstill after a committee appointed by the state government had found fault in its functioning. The council had also raised objection on the appointment of an administrator Dr Abhay Chowdhary in a unilateral manner by the state government.
• Nine members will be elected to the Council which essentially comprises 18 members, out of which five will be appointed by the government. It will also have a member of the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS).
• MMC, the quasi judicial body representing 83,000 doctors in the state, had sent two letters on notifying elections in the month of April and May this year but didn’t get any response from the state government.
• MMC had also remained defunct from 1998 to 2010 following a Bombay High Court order that suspended it due to irregularities in the election of members and maintenance of register which led to the backlog of over 600 cases which are now with the council since it took over in 2012 after being defunct for 12 years.

Bridge course for homoeopaths, practice allopathy stands invalid as petition, crosspathy yet to be disposed off