Charak Shapath or Hippocratic Oath for AYUSH doctors? Parliamentary Panel asks Govt to remove confusion

New Delhi: Addressing the confusion if the AYUSH practitioners should take the Hippocratic Oath or the Charak Shapath, the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare has recently asked the Ministry of AYUSH along with the Union Health Ministry to remove the confusion in this regard at the earliest.

The Parliamentary panel presented its one hundred forty-second report on Action Taken by The Government on the Recommendations/ Observations Contained in the 136th Report on Demands for Grants 2022-23 (Demand No. 4) of the Ministry of AYUSH) to the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on September 12, 2022.

In the report, the Parliamentary Health Committee expressed its dissatisfaction over the response of the Ministry regarding the confusion over the swearing in process of the AYUSH doctors.

Addressing the issue, the Panel stated, "The Committee's attention is drawn to an issue relating to the swearing in process by doctors wherein there is confusion whether the AYUSH doctors would take the Hippocratic Oath or the Charak Oath. The Committee is of the firm view that such confusion should be removed at the earliest and the Ministry should take it up with the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare to resolve the issue."

Earlier, responding to the similar suggestions from the Committee, the Ministry had responded by stating that as far as Siddha system of Medicine is concerned, the oath prescribed by Siddhars will be taken by Siddha doctors to avoid confusion. It has further been informed by the Ministry that presently the system of taking Hippocratic Oath is being followed by BSMS and MD (Siddha) students while their degrees are awarded.

Apart from this, the earlier communication from the Ministry also added that Ministry through its concern section may take up the matter with MoHFW. It is proposed that Aysuh doctors may take the Charak Oath.

In respect to the National Institute of Homoeopathy, the Ministry mentioned that the principles concerning the Homoeopathic subjects are mainly related to Modern System of Medicine. But Homoeopathy is a part of Ministry of Ayush so Hippocratic Oath is being taken.

"Suggestion of the Committee has been noted and necessary step shall be taken in consultation with the ministry of health & family welfare to resolve the issue," the Ministry stated in its response.

However, the Parliamentary panel expressed its dissatisfaction with the response suggestion of the Committee for taking up the matter to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to resolve the burning question relating to the swearing in process by doctors wherein there is confusion whether the AYUSH doctors would take the Hippocratic Oath or the Charak Oath.

"The Committee finds that the Ministry is retorting that suggestion of the Committee has been noted and necessary step shall be taken in consultation with the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare to resolve the issue. The Committee, therefore, believes that the Ministry of Ayush in tandem with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare would remove the confusion of the Ayush medical practitioners at the earliest," mentioned the report.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported about the ongoing controversy regarding the centuries-old Hippocratic Oath and Charak Shapath. Previously, the suggestion from the National Medical Commission (NMC) to replace the Hippocratic Oath with the Charak Shapath had faced severe criticism from a major section of the medical fraternity. However, now junking both, the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of NMC has decided to stick to the Geneva Declaration of 2017 by including the Physician's Pledge in the recently released Draft Regulations.

To view the Parliamentary Committee report, click here.

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