2 min readPuneSep 12, 2025 05:52 PM IST
First published on: Sep 12, 2025 at 05:52 PM IST
The Maharashtra unit of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called for a strike on September 18 to oppose the state government’s move to register homeopathic doctors who have completed the one-year certificate course in modern pharmacology.
Dr Santosh Kadam, President, IMA, Maharashtra, said in a statement on Friday that the Association had even earlier raised concerns about mixing alternative and modern medicine practices.
“The matter is sub judice and we fail to understand why the Maharashtra government wants to register homeopathic doctors with the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) when the matter is in the Bombay High Court,” Dr Kadam said.
Earlier this year, the IMA had demanded the immediate withdrawal of a circular of the Maharashtra government that had directed the MMC to register homeopaths who had completed the Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP).
Then, the state had set up a committee to look into the concerns flagged by doctors over the notification. After assurances by the state to suspend the registration process, doctors with the IMA had withdrawn their stir.
However, the government issued a fresh circular on September 5, reviving the registration process.
According to Dr Kadam, this violates the state’s earlier assurance to await the findings of a committee set up to review the contentious issue.
In Friday’s statement, Dr Kadam has challenged the circular and said that this decision threatened the safety of healthcare in Maharashtra.
“MBBS is a 5.5-year rigorous program with 19 subjects and a mandatory internship. CCMP is a 1-year part-time course. It cannot prepare doctors to treat patients safely. Undertrained practitioners can cause misdiagnosis, and there could be complications, especially in rural areas,” the statement added.
“MMC should only register qualified MBBS doctors. By including CCMP-certified homeopathic doctors, there will be confusion and mistrust,” Dr Kadam said.
The IMA has called for the withdrawal of the Government Resolution and to ensure that only MBBS-qualified doctors get licence for modern medicine.
“Failing to meet our demands would lead to a statewide strike on September 18,” DR Kadam said.
Earlier this year, the IMA had demanded the immediate withdrawal of a circular of the Maharashtra government that had directed the MMC to register homeopaths. (File Photo) 
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