Maharashtra doctors' strike tomorrow against homeopaths prescribing allopathy
Nearly 1.8 lakh doctors across Maharashtra will go on a 24-hour strike starting 8am September 18, protesting the state's move to let homeopathic practitioners with a one-year Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP) register with the Maharashtra Medical Council and prescribe allopathic medicines.
The government's decision, announced earlier this month, has sparked heated debate in the medical community.
Emergency services will remain open
The strike will pause most routine and elective services at both private and government hospitals—though emergency care stays open.
Doctors' groups like the Indian Medical Association warn that letting homeopaths prescribe modern medicine could risk patient safety, especially in rural areas where options are limited.
They fear misdiagnosis or drug reactions from practitioners without full allopathic training.
If the policy isn't rolled back soon, national-level protests could follow, raising bigger questions about who gets to practice what kind of medicine in India.