The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) began an indefinite statewide strike from midnight on Wednesday, August 5, protesting the state government’s move to grant Maharashtra Medical Council
(MMC) registration to homoeopathy practitioners who complete a short pharmacology course. Emergency services will continue for the first 24 hours.
OPD services, elective procedures, routine duties and academic activities at government medical college hospitals across Maharashtra have been suspended with immediate effect.
Resident doctors were scheduled to assemble from 10 am on Wednesday at Mumbai’s KEM, Sion, Nair and JJ hospitals, as well as at government medical colleges statewide, to formally launch the protest. The strike has drawn support from several allied bodies, widening it beyond MARD alone.
What Triggered The Strike?
At the centre of the dispute is a June 30 MMC notification permitting BHMS (homoeopathy) practitioners to prescribe modern medicine after completing a six-month Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP).
MARD said repeated rounds of talks with the state government failed to yield satisfactory assurances on how the BHMS-CCMP policy would be implemented, prompting Central MARD to call the indefinite strike.
What Is MARD Demanding?
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Strike began | Midnight, Wednesday, August 5 |
| First 24 hours | Emergency/casualty services continue; OPD, elective procedures, routine duty and academic work suspended |
| From August 6, if unresolved | All services, including emergency, to be withdrawn |
| Core demand | Immediate suspension of BHMS-CCMP registrations until court verdict |
| Also seeking | A legally sound, transparent, scientifically validated regulatory framework before implementation; resolution of long-pending resident doctor issues |
| Supporting bodies | IMA, BMC MARD, Maharashtra State Resident Doctors Association, Association of State Medical Interns, Maharashtra Association of Gazetted Medical Officers’ Group-A, Maharashtra State Medical Teachers Association |
Will Services Be Withdrawn Entirely?
MARD said that if authorities fail to reach a resolution, resident doctors will withdraw all services — including emergency care — from August 6 onward, until further directions from Central MARD.
Is This A Strike Against Homoeopathy Itself?
MARD sought to clarify its position, saying: “The Central MARD reiterates that this agitation is not against any system of medicine or its practitioners.”
The association said its objection is specifically to implementing the policy without due legal scrutiny, scientific evaluation and a proper regulatory framework — not to homoeopathy as a discipline.
A Parallel Debate On The Merits
Separately, the Mumbai Press Club hosted a debate between representatives of the two systems. Jayesh Lele, representing allopathy, raised concerns over accountability in cases of adverse side effects from medicines prescribed by homoeopathy practitioners, and noted that dual registration across allopathy and homoeopathy councils isn’t permitted in every state.
Bahubali Shah, representing homoeopathy, defended the move as necessary given the shortage of doctors in rural Maharashtra.
