Celebrations by homoeopathy practitioners and protests by allopathic doctors marked the rollout of Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) registrations for eligible Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP)-qualified Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery (BHMS) practitioners on Wednesday, highlighting the widening divide over one of the state’s most contentious healthcare decisions.
The MMC on Wednesday began issuing conditional registration certificates to eligible BHMS practitioners who have completed the CCMP. While homoeopaths hailed the move as long-awaited recognition of their legal rights, allopathic doctors intensified their statewide agitation, leading to the suspension of routine healthcare services at government medical colleges.
Resident doctors boycotted outpatient departments (OPDs), elective procedures, routine duties and academic activities in protest. The Indian Medical Association (IMA), Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD), Maharashtra State Resident Doctors Association (MSRDA), Association of State Medical Interns (ASMI) and several other medical bodies opposed the move, arguing that granting MMC registration to CCMP-qualified BHMS practitioners amounts to “mixopathy”, dilutes the standards of modern medicine and could compromise patient safety.
The agitation is set to intensify from Thursday, with resident doctors announcing that only emergency services will continue while routine healthcare services remain suspended.
Outside the Maharashtra Medical Council office, however, the mood was celebratory. Soon after the first eligible BHMS practitioner received a registration certificate, members of the CCMP Homoeopathic Doctors Association distributed sweets and congratulated one another. Scores of eligible practitioners queued up outside the council office as the MMC assured them that registrations would be issued in large numbers over the coming days.
{{/usCountry}}Outside the Maharashtra Medical Council office, however, the mood was celebratory. Soon after the first eligible BHMS practitioner received a registration certificate, members of the CCMP Homoeopathic Doctors Association distributed sweets and congratulated one another. Scores of eligible practitioners queued up outside the council office as the MMC assured them that registrations would be issued in large numbers over the coming days.
{{/usCountry}}Calling it a landmark moment, Dr Balkrushna Gaikwad, state president, CCMP Homoeopathic Doctors Association, said the registrations marked the culmination of a years-long legal and administrative battle.
“This is a historic day for thousands of CCMP-qualified homoeopathic doctors who have been fighting for justice for years. We thank the Maharashtra government, the Maharashtra Medical Council, the Medical Education Department and everyone who supported this process. We hope all remaining eligible doctors receive their registration certificates at the earliest and that the process is completed transparently,” Gaikwad said.
The dispute stems from the state’s decision to grant conditional MMC registration to BHMS practitioners who have completed the one-year CCMP course, enabling them to prescribe specified modern medicines within the existing legal framework.
However, allopathic doctors argue that the decision blurs the distinction between different systems of medicine. They maintain that a one-year bridge course cannot substitute the extensive clinical training and education undergone by MBBS graduates.
Dr Sanjay Patil, national secretary, Hospital Board of India–Indian Medical Association, said, “Modern medicine is based on years of structured clinical training, supervised practice and scientific evidence. A one-year bridge course cannot be considered equivalent to an MBBS degree. Our opposition is aimed at protecting patient safety and preserving the standards of medical education.”
With neither side showing signs of backing down, the issue has emerged as one of the most significant confrontations between allopathic and homoeopathic practitioners in Maharashtra in recent years, reflecting a sharp divide within the medical fraternity over the state’s decision.