Maharashtra healthcare jolted as nearly 10,000 doctors shut OPDs to protest ‘murder of merit’

Pune’s healthcare system faced major disruption on September 18 as nearly 10,000 doctors affiliated with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) shut outpatient departments, joining colleagues across Maharashtra in a day-long strike.

The protest was sparked by a Maharashtra government circular empowering the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) to grant registration to Bachelor of Homeopathy Medicine and Surgery (BHMS) practitioners who complete a one-year Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP).

Calling the move a threat to patient safety and professional integrity, IMA national president Dr. Dilip Bhanushali said it amounted to nothing less than a “murder of merit.” He warned that blurring the line between modern medicine and homeopathy could compromise the quality of healthcare delivery.

‘Risk to patients, insult to medical education’

Maharashtra IMA president Dr. Santosh Kadam said the strike received widespread backing from medical officers, the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD), the Junior Doctors’ Network, and the Medical Students’ Network. “This protest has been successful across the state. The government must withdraw the notification immediately,” he said.

In Pune, IMA president Dr. Sunil Ingale and spokesperson Dr. Sanjay Patil confirmed that nearly 200 private nursing homes also joined the strike. Demonstrations were held at multiple sites, and doctors warned of intensifying their agitation if demands were not met.

Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) president Dr. Akshay Dongardive said a memorandum had been submitted to NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule, urging political intervention.

Hospitals balance strike with patient care

At B J Government Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital, resident doctors boycotted OPDs and routine procedures but maintained emergency and critical care duties. “One year of CCMP training cannot qualify BHMS practitioners to practice modern medicine or perform emergency interventions,” said Dr. Chaitanya Melavane, vice-president of MARD’s central unit.

Dean Dr. Eknath Pawar said essential hospital services remained unaffected, with senior faculty stepping in to handle OPDs. Posters denouncing the government’s move were displayed on campus, reflecting the simmering anger among young doctors.

The medical fraternity has now thrown the ball back in the government’s court — withdraw the notification, or brace for a larger confrontation that could paralyze healthcare across Maharashtra.