The joint sitting of Travancore – Cochin Medical Councils has passed a resolution against Kerala government’s decision to exempt the traditional ayurvedic healers and self-learnt homeopathy practitioners from acquiring recognized qualifications and registering with TCM council.

The joint medical council comprises of members from the councils of modern medicine, Indian system of medicines and homeopathic medicine.

The council opined that the government order allowing the fake and unqualified practitioners to practice ayurveda and homeopathy is against the provisions of the Central Council of Indian Medicine Act 1970 and the Homeopathic Central Council Act, 1974. The council pointed out that the order is also against section 38 of the TCMP act 1953 as there is sufficient number of qualified practitioners in ayurveda and homeopathy in Kerala.

The Council, through the resolution, has urged the government to reconsider its decision and issue orders as recommended by the committees constituted by the government for the purpose. The government of Kerala constituted two committees in 2010 in order to suggest recommendations to put up criteria to give ‘B’ class registration to those who are practising traditional system and homeopathy on self study. The committee was asked to frame the criteria as per the provisions of state and central laws. The director of ayurveda medical education was the chairman of the committee and the registrar of medical council was the convener.

At the time of implementation of the state Act (Travancore Cochin Medical Practitioners Act 1953) those who were practicing without recognized qualification prior to 1.4.1953 for a continuous period of five years, there was provision to grant part-B registration. As per that provision, approximately 6080 part-B registrations were granted. But at that time since the Act was not implemented in Malabar area, the traditional healers of that region did not get this recognition. The committee observed that after the implementation of central act (Indian Medicine Central Council Act 1970) those who were practicing without legal sanction became illegal. The provision 17 (3) C of the central act provides right to continue treatment to those who were in the field from 1.10.1976, without recognized qualification.

The committee suggested that those who were practicing five years before 1953 as per the State Act and those who were practicing in Malabar area for a period of five years prior to 1.10.1976 as per Central Act, were eligible for getting B-class registration. The committee further recommended that in Malabar area permission could be granted only in accordance with section 17 (3) C of the Central Council of Indian Medicine Act.

The recommendation included that permission could be granted to those who had completed sixty years and they must be members of traditional healer’s family. Such family members’ occupation should be entered in the ration card as ‘Vaidyam’ (traditional healing). Another suggestion was that the government should grant a letter of permission after recording the name of the practitioner under section 17(3) C of the Central Act.

The government of Kerala issued an order on 21-2-2011 giving exemption to traditional healers of Malabar region from acquiring recognized qualification and registration with the Travancore-Cochin Medical Council.