MARD Seeks Inter-State Resident Doctors' Support Over MMC Homoeopath Registrations

MUMBAI — The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) has sought inter-state support from resident doctors across Karnataka, Goa, and Telangana as the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) prepares to resume registrations that allow homoeopaths to prescribe modern medicines.

The MMC registration allows homoeopathic practitioners to prescribe complex modern medicines on the basis of a one-year certificate course. The registration process had initially commenced earlier this month in Mumbai, where a Mankhurd-based homoeopath was granted registration before the procedure was halted due to a technical glitch.

Following the initial rollout, the Department of Medical Education paused the registration process on August 18, taking into account strikes and objections raised by MARD and the Indian Medical Association (IMA). Medical bodies highlighted the potential dangers of homoeopaths prescribing allopathic medications without full modern medical qualifications.

However, on August 20, the department reversed its decision and withdrew the pause after representatives of homoeopaths held discussions with Medical Education Secretary Dhiraj Kumar.

With registrations set to resume on Monday, MARD has expanded its outreach to medical associations outside Maharashtra. Protests against the decision are expected to spread across other parts of the country in the coming days, backed by public engagement campaigns on social media.

Dr Atharva Shinde, president of MARD, stated that resident doctor groups in multiple states have extended their support. He noted that these respective state associations plan to hold meetings with their own ministers to prevent similar registration policies from being replicated in other parts of the country.