Pics: Spoorthy Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (NM)
Mangalore, Jul 21: Under the banner of Ayush Federation of India (AFI), hundreds of doctors belonging to Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy (Ayush) of DK district staged a protest demanding permission to prescribe allopathic medicines to patients in emergencies, in front of the DC’s office on Friday July 20.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Krishnaraj Bhat, president, district AFI, said, “We are qualified and registered medical practitioners who have studied the Indian systems of medicine and allopathic medicine as part of our course in recognized medical institutions. However, we are not given the rights equal to what other practitioners enjoy.”
Stating the legal verdict, he said that the Supreme Court had directed all state governments to amend the rules 2(EE) (111) framed under the rules of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1980 to permit Ayush practitioners to prescribe allopathic drugs based on their education, training, and experience.
Blaming the state government, Dr Bhat said that doctors in 12 states including Chattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan are allowed to practice whereas the Karnataka government has not permitted it.
If the government fails to assure us, the federation will intensify the protest, said the agitators adding that ‘Bengaluru Chalo’ protest will be staged in Freedom Park, Bengaluru, on Sunday July 22 urging immediate approval.
Dr Shripathi Kinnikambla, Dr Santhosh Kalleri, Dr Ratheesh Udupa, Dr Sukesh A, and other office-bearers and practitioners were part of the protest.
Udupi
Hemanath Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (RD)
Udupi, Jul 21: Ayush Federation of India (AFI), Karnataka , Udupi branch, staged a protest in front of the deputy commissioner’s office, Rajatadri, Manipal, on Friday July 20, in order to urge the state government to allow Ayurvedic, Yunani, Siddha, and Homeopathy (Ayush) medical practitioners to prescribe allopathic medicines in emergency cases.
The medical practitioners enrolled with AFI, Karnataka , sought the state administration, to honour their long-pending demands to allow them to prescribe allopathic medicines in emergency cases. Despite their repeated pleas to the state administration, the demand has not been granted and as a result the protest was held on Friday July 20. The statewide protests will be held till Saturday July 21 in this regard. Besides, ‘Bangalore Chalo’, an indefinite protest, will be held at Freedom Park, Bangalore on Sunday July 22, till their demands are granted by the state administration.
AFI, Karnataka urged the state administration to take early decision based on High Court directives and uniform law that is enforced in 12 states across the country, in order to bring amendments to Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940 and clause 1945 (2) EE) (iii), thereby allowing Ayush medical practitioners to prescribe allopathic medicines on extreme cases. It would benefit the general public without any monetary losses to the state.
Ayush Federation of India, Karnataka , Udupi branch president Dr Bharathesh A, secretary Dr Sathish Rao B, vice-presidents Dr N T Anchan, Dr Mohammed Rafiq and Dr Dinesh Kumar, joint secretaries Dr Yogish Shetty, Dr Raviprasad Hegde and Dr Ganesh U, treasurer Dr Prasanna Mogasale, and organizing secretary Dr A S Udupa were present