Are homeopathy docs prohibited from treating COVID-19 patients: Kerala HC asks govt

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Saturday asked the state government whether there were any prohibitions preventing homoeopaths from practising their system of medicine on coronavirus patients.

A division bench of Justices AK Jayasankaran Nambiar and Shaji P Chaly, while hearing public interest litigation (PIL) through video conference, sought Kerala government's response and slated the matter for further hearing on April 17.

The court refused to issue any interim directions on the matter and said that it would first have to consider whether there is any prohibition in place and if so, the extent of such prohibition in line with the AYUSH notification.

The petition, filed by advocate MS Vineeth appearing party-in-person, sought directions to the state to refrain from acting coercively against homoeopathy practitioners treating COVID-19 patients.

The petition sought a direction to the state government to implement the AYUSH notification and to permit homoeopaths to practise while following the advisory.

The counsel of the Kerala government, on the other hand, sought some time to obtain instructions from the state on whether there is any prohibition on the treatment of COVID-19 patients by homoeopathy practitioners. 

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