The Ayurveda doctors in Kerala have welcomed the recent judgement of the Madras High Court that the registered ISM practitioners could also practice surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, anaesthesiology, ENT, ophthalmology, etc.

While welcoming the decision, the doctors said only the post graduates of Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani should be allowed to handle the allopathic method and the IMA should support them for doing so on emergency cases.

If any practical lacuna is there, it can be solved with some continuing medical education process, responded Dr D Ramanathan, EC member of the Central Council of Indian Medicine and the managing director of Sitaram Pharmacy in Thrissur.

He said while permission is given to the Siddha and Ayurveda doctors, nobody could be allowed to misuse it. There should be some controlling measures for not taking advantage of it by anybody.

While speaking to pharmabiz, Dr Ramanathan said the adamant stand of the IMA is against all forms of medical ethics and by objecting the practice by experienced and qualified doctors, they are questioning the policies of the government. Besides, their decision will help create more problems to the common man as allopathy will remain with only a few people. "If there is competition, it will surely help the common man", he said.

The Tamil Nadu branch of the IMA has taken a decision to file appeal in the high court against its verdict of July 30 allowing the ISM practitioners to practice allopathy also.

On July 30, Justice FM Ibrahim Kalifulla had ruled that the registered practitioners in Siddha, Ayurveda, Homoeopathy and Unani were eligible to practice surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, anaesthesiology, ENT, ophthalmology, etc.

Prior to this, the state government had written to the state police that the institutionally qualified and registered practitioners of Indian system of medicine could practice their respective systems with modern scientific medicines based on their training and teaching in the course. This was based on section 17 (3) B of the Indian Medicine Central Council Act, 1970. Against this decision, the IMA had approached the court.

Contrary to this, in February this year, the HC, in another order, had restrained the ISM practitioners from practising allopathic system and administering modern medicines to their patients. The court had then also held that police could take action against those who practice modern system without qualification. Following it, the state police had started widespread crack down on ISM practitioners for practising allopathy. This had led the traditional doctors to approach the high court for a verdict in their favour.