Qualified medical practitioners across Rajasthan are up in arms against the plan of the state government to allow anyone with six months basic training in medicine to practice in the rural areas of the state. If the "Swasthya Mitra Yojana" of the state government is to have its way, more than 1000 youth with high school education would be given six months medical training for treatment of common diseases in rural areas and supplied with a kit containing medicines, injections and dressing material to work in the backward areas of the state.

The government would also issue a certificate to these practitioners for treatment of illness in villages. The political announcement in this regard came from the chief minister of Rajasthan about two weeks ago.

All state level medical associations have protested against the government decision. The qualified doctors have also started organizing seminars in the state to create awareness among the doctors as well as the public on the health hazards of such a decision. The associations have also represented the matter before the government.

Speaking to Pharmabiz.com, Dr Mahesh Goyal, general secretary, Medical Practitioners Society, Jaipur pointed out that the government plans goes against all accepted laws of the land. "The move to give certificates to such persons is against the Medical Council of India Act. To breed more quacks is a violation of Human Rights," he said.

According to Dr Goyal, there are already thousands of quacks practicing in the rural areas of Rajasthan playing with the lives of innocent people. "Now government is ready to produce a fresh crop of licensed sarkari quacks", he said.

The doctors are at a loss to understand how a tenth pass person will be able to treat different complicated diseases without the basic understanding of human anatomy, physiology and pathology when a MBBS holder takes six years for his studies and practical training. The state branch of Indian Medical Association has also protested against the government move.