Integrative Medicine raises a furore

With the formal launch of the country’s first Integrative Medicine Centre at Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi on February 8, the Central government has cleared the decks for setting up similar centres in government hospitals across the country.

The government’s move incidentally also coincided with the murmurs of protests, albeit implicitly, by practitioners of allopathic medicines and institutions associated with it including Indian Median Association (IMA). In what appeared to be a tacit disapproval of integrative medicine which seeks to bring the best practices of modern medicine and Ayush (Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and Homoeopathy) medicine in the public healthcare system, IMA opposed it calling it ‘mixopathy’.

The IMA according to reports has also opposed a proposal by Haryana government to teach MBBS students Ayurveda. The association has argued that ‘mixopathy’ will backfire and put the country’s health delivery system in jeopardy. The association also made it clear that no state government is entitled to meddle with medical education of the country on its own as it is part of the state list in the 7th schedule of the Constitution.

The government has on the other hand, particularly Union minister of Ayush Sarbanada Sonowal, made it clear that the Prime Minister along with the ministry of Ayush and Health are ‘‘committed towards promoting the integrative approach’’ to the treatment. The government now seeks to promote integrative medicine through 1,50,000 health and wellness centres across platforms that promote meditation, yoga and all aspects and activities.

The government also appears serious on its intent as it plans to have a separate department of integrative medicine in the country’s all AIIMS hospitals and to have arrangement for research as well. The government also made it clear that Ayurveda, yoga, naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homoeopathy are being regulated as per the extant Regulations in their respective countries.

It also argues that there is no impediment to getting necessary qualifications as there are provisions under National Commission of Indian System of Medicine Act 2020 and National Commission for Homepathy Act 2020, for recognition of medical qualifications granted by medical institutions outside India. So, is the government and IMA and other related organisations likely to be on a war path in the coming days?

The answer to this question is unlikely to be an easy one. But with the increasing global recognition to the non-allopathic system of treatment and rising demand, both have to find a common meeting ground, sooner than later.