Pune Doctors Threaten 24-Hour Strike Over Homeopaths Being Recognized as Modern Medicine Practitioners
Pune, 9th July 2025: A coalition of doctors across Pune and Maharashtra, including the Indian Medical Association (IMA) city and state chapters, has announced a potential 24-hour strike on July 11, unless the state government reverses a controversial move by the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC). The decision in question allows homeopathic doctors with specific training to be recognized under a new category of modern medicine practitioners.
On Tuesday, a delegation from IMA Pune and other affiliated medical groups submitted a formal memorandum to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, which was routed through Pune District Collector Jitendra Dudi, urging the government to revoke the MMC’s directive.
According to the IMA Pune, the government plans to implement the new regulation on July 15, registering BHMS doctors—those who have completed a Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP)—in a separate registry under the MMC. The association raised concerns that this would blur the distinction between homeopathic and allopathic medical training.
Dr. Sunil Ingale, President of IMA Pune, emphasized the legal implications, saying, “We have already approached the High Court in February to challenge this policy. The matter is still sub judice. Introducing such an order now could potentially amount to contempt of court.”
He further criticized the equivalence being drawn between the two qualifications. “MBBS doctors undergo rigorous, scientific, evidence-based training. In contrast, BHMS students are taught principles rooted in homeopathy, and their exposure to clinical pharmacology, surgery, or emergency care is limited,” Dr. Ingale said.
Echoing these concerns, Dr. Sanjay Patil, Chairperson of the Hospital Board of India’s Pune chapter, warned of serious consequences for patient safety. “The CCMP is only a year-long bridge course—too basic to substitute for the five-and-a-half years of MBBS training. This move not only misleads patients but also endangers lives, especially in critical care or surgical emergencies,” he said.
Dr. Patil added, “Allowing this will confuse the public, lower standards of care, and unfairly damage the reputation of qualified modern medicine practitioners.”
The IMA’s call for action has found support from several other professional bodies, including the Pune Radiology Association, Orthopaedic Association, Ophthalmic Association, Society of Anaesthesiologists Pune, Indian Pathology Association, and the Pune Obstetric and Gynaecological Society, among others.
