The ayurvedic medical association of India (AMAI) has decided to paralyze the medical services of the Ayurveda hospitals and clinics in Kerala from June 9 till the state government takes action against the Thiruvananthapuram district allopathic medical officer (DMO) who had on last Saturday raided and sealed an Ayurveda hospital, and arrested the doctor there with the support of police and excise officials.

Member doctors of the association, UG and PG students at various Ayurveda medical colleges and all other big and small Ayush healthcare establishments will join the strike and abstain from work from June 9 in protest against the allopathic DMO’s illegitimate and unwise raid on the decade old ayurvedic hospital in the city.

The doctor in the hospital, Agastya Pharma, was arrested citing reason that the hospital had no valid licence to function, and a medicine given to three infants by the doctor caused severe damage to its health condition.

According to sources, the DMO had received a complaint from the medical superintend of SAT hospital in the state capital that three kids had developed seizures after consuming a medicine allegedly given by Dr R Anoop, the ayurvedic practitioner at Agastya Pharma in the city. Besides, the hospital did not possess the manufacturing licence of the particular drug which was manufactured by hospital. The DMO’s raid team included an Ayurveda drug inspector from the drugs control office.

While briefing Pharmabiz about the incident, Dr Rejith Anand, the general secretary of AMAI said the drug, 'Mullelithailam' is a paediatric medicine used for treating fever and cough in infants, and has been prescribed by doctors for the last 75 years. All the kids suffering from fever are prescribed the same medicine and so far no adverse effect has been reported elsewhere.  He said several Ayurveda doctors prescribe this medicine for children and it has no toxic contents. He added that the hospital had the manufacturing licence for the medicine in the name of the founder of the hospital, who expired eight months ago, but not transferred it to the present head, Dr Anoop, and the process is going on. The licence is still valid.

According to the general secretary of AMAI, the power to raid an Ayurveda hospital is vested with the Ayurveda DMO, and not with the allopathic DMO. The members of AMAI will meet the chief minister and request him to take action against the allopathic DMO for his unwanted and illegal action which was a blatant attempt to tarnish the image of the decades old Ayurveda hospital and the profession, said he.

Doctors belong to Ayurveda community said recently the allopathic doctors in Kerala are acrimoniously objecting the practices in the traditional healthcare system and the government’s attitude is apathetic and favouring the allopathic practitioners.