Ayurvedic doctors to serve in hilly areas

DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand government is planning to rope in ayurvedic doctors to provide medical facilities in remote hilly areas. The doctors will be given “extensive allopathic” training by the health department.
“Ayurvedic doctors after some basic training should be allowed to practice the allopathic medicinal system in areas with acute shortage of doctors,” said SS Negi, state health minister.
He told TOI that he is in talks with the Union health minister and Indian Medical Association (IMA). “There are issues with IMA regarding the training programme but we are working to resolve it soon,” Negi added.
The decision comes after health department’s failed attempts to attract doctors to serve in hilly terrains. The condition of the remote and mountainous areas is dismal in the state. Almost all community health centres and primary health centres are on verge of being closed due shortage of doctors.
Many such centers are being run by the ayurvedic and homeopathic doctors stationed there with the help of pharmacist and other paramedics. Interestingly in the ayurveda and ayurvedic education department the number of posts of doctors is almost full.
If all goes well, 753 ayurvedic doctors will be trained. But the decision is also facing opposition from the allopathic doctors. “Wrong precedence will be set if ayurvedic doctors will be sent in place of allopathic ones. They are not really competent for it,” said an allopathic doctor of Doon Hospital.
“We are aware of the government move. We hope that all stake holders will be taken into confidence to shape up the policy for benefit of the people in far flung areas,” Geeta Khanna, state president, IMA.