Practitioners of traditional Indian medicine have once again come under fire from their allopathic counterparts from the Indian Medical Association (IMA) who have labelled them as 'quacks'.
To weed out quacks, members of the IMA across the state’s 140 branches have been asked to keep an eye out and supply documentary evidence of unqualified people practicing allopathic medicine. “We create a list of names and addresses of quacks along with evidence like prescriptions and photographs, so that the police can take immediate action. This year’s list will be ready in October, which is anti-quackery month,” says Dr Jayalal, state secretary of the IMA.
He adds that even Indian medicine practitioners who prescribe allopathic drugs or use modern medicine techniques should be considered quacks. “Each stream of medicine has different principles, and it is not right for an Ayurveda or Siddha doctor to prescribe allopathic medicine and vice versa — allopathic practitioners should not try to prescribe Siddha drugs either,” he says.
Even the state’s GO 248, allowing graduates in Indian Streams of Medicine (ISM) to use allopathic drugs and life-saving medication in cases of emergencies, has been challenged and is pending in the high court.
“We do not have any personal vendetta against our Indian medicine colleagues; but there are many such doctors prescribing high-end antibiotics. Now that drug resistance is a huge threat, such practices should be banned,” he added.
However, ISM doctors insist that they are qualified to use allopathic medicine to resuscitate and stabilise critical patients until they can be shifted to a bigger hospital. “In remote villages, people depend on ISM graduates as MBBS doctors are not willing to cater to the poor, rural population. In many states, NRHM hospitals are manned by ISM doctors alone, who conduct deliveries and deal with all emergencies,” says Dr B. Muthukumar.