Maharashtra Health Minister Dr Deepak Sawant, along with 800 other LCEH (licentiate of the court of examiners in homeopathy) practitioners in the state, are set to get the government’s approval to practise modern allopathy. A proposal in this regard, mooted by the Department of Medical Education and Drugs, is currently being evaluated by the Law and Judiciary Department, a senior government official told DNA. If approved, all 800 LCEH degree holders, a course which was discontinued in 1982, can practise modern medicine as well.
Interestingly, the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) has, in December 2015, disapproved of the move, citing “academic and legal issues”. Sources said the proposal was mooted by the Health Department, headed by Sawant.
“Based on the recommendations of the MUHS committee and views of the DMER (Directorate of Medical Education and Research) director, the state government is convinced that LCEH qualification is such as to secure the possession of requisite knowledge and skills for the efficient practice of modern scientific medicine by persons obtaining such qualification and that the academic issues raised by the MMC are devoid of merit,” states the proposal, a copy of which is available with DNA.
The LCEH practitioners have for years been demanding that they be allowed to practise using scientific medicine. They claim that their four-year LCEH course, started in Maharashtra in 1951 and continued till 1982, included the study of allopathy along with homoeopathy.
They had approached the Bombay High Court after failing to convince the then government.
In a February 4, 2002 circular, the state had asked doctors holding licences under the Mumbai Homoeopathic Practitioners Act, 1959 to restrict their practice to homeopathy.
On 15 April, 2013, the Bombay HC had directed the state government to allow them to practise allopathy. However, that order was stayed on May 10, 2013, allowing the Maharashtra government to consult experts in the meantime.
LICENCE TO HEAL
LCEH practitioners have for years been demanding that they be allowed to practise using scientific medicine. They claim that their four-year LCEH course, started in Maharashtra in 1951 and continued till 1982, included the study of allopathy along with homoeopathy. On 15 April, 2013, the Bombay HC had directed the then state government to allow them to practise allopathy.
