Even as the State government policies strictly prohibit Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (Ayush) doctors from prescribing allopathy medicine, plenty of doctors, appointed at various Primary Health Centres (PHCs), are forced to do so.
With no cases being filed against the doctors for doing so, it is indeed evident that the government has only taken a double stand regarding the same. Also, neither the government nor doctors vouch for anything gone wrong in these cases.
While doctors who prescribe the medicine have been seeking that it be implemented in the policy so as to wash their hands of the legal issues, the government has turned a blind eye to the situation for long.
Consider this case. Mahendra (name changed) was appointed Ayush doctor at a Primary Health Centre in Mysore.
Little did he know that, his theoretical knowledge and practical experience would be ‘streams apart.’
For, someone who has studied ayurveda stream of medicine, is left with no choice but to prescribe allopathy medicines.
“Half the time, ayurvedic and homeopathy medicines run out of stock. Orders are not placed for the same nor is it made available immediately,” he said adding that the higher ups told them that they were to administer allopathy medicine in case ayush medications were not avilable.
Ayush Federation of Karnataka Secretary Dr Mahaveer Haveri said there were 774 doctors appointed against the post of MBBS doctors.
“In case of emergency, since there are no medicines that give immediate cure, we have been requesting the government lo legalise the use of allopathy drugs. We have only sought this for primary care and not any specialised care,” he said.
Dr Haveri said Rs 120 crore indent is given for allopathy medicines each year.
“How does so much medicine get utilised even as most posts in rural areas are filled by Ayush doctors,” he questioned. However, the share allocated for ayurvedic and homeopathy medicines is very less, he added.
States including Maharashtra, Haryana, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Chandigarh, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, West Bengal and Jammu Kashmir have brought a change in their policies and have permitted Ayush doctors to administer allopathy medicines for primary care, according to Dr Haveri.
An official from Ayush Department said they were never informed about shortage of medicines nor were they given an indent for the same.
“Even as there were repeated requests to the department of Health and Family Welfare seeking the number of Ayush doctors employed, our officials have received no response,” the official said.