Unable to treat even fever patients in Kerala: Homeopathy practitioners cry foul

Kerala: With the Homeopathy practitioners facing several restrictions in this COVID outbreak as well as not being allowed to test their medicines on COVID patients, the practitioners are now infuriated with the state's directive.

The homeopathy practitioners in the state of Kerala are enraged at the state government's recent directive that is apparently hindering their practice. The practitioners have stated that the restrictions are making it impossible for them to take care of their patients as they are unable to treat even routine allergy symptoms, seasonal flu or bronchial infection.

According to a recent media report, the homeopathy practitioners have repeatedly asked the ministry of Ayush as well as the state government to allow them to apply homeopathy medication on COVID affected patients to treat them and to study the usefulness of these medications on the COVID victims. However, in spite of their repeated requests, the state government seems to be unwilling to let them practice homeopathy on the COVID-19 victims.

The government had earlier given the direction that only modern medication will be permitted to treat COVID patients. 

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In fact, the homeopathy doctors have repeatedly given memos and letters to the government but it did not pay any heed to their requests, instead, the government has issued guidelines that homeopathy treatment can not be administered on COVID-19 patients, the practitioners have stated.

It is creating problems for homeopathic doctors to treat patients with COVID like symptoms. Thus they cant even continue their normal practice of treating patients with cold, cough, or fever; however, one of the members of the state expert committee explained their decision stating that pandemic is not a situation to initiate experimentation, reports TNIE. "Homoeopathy is not a replacement for conventional medicine and it is not generally accepted," said the official.

The homeopathic doctors claimed that the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH), an organization working under the Union Ministry of Ayush, had already received permission from the ministry to treat Covid-19 patients, yet the Kerala government's current directive is stopping the doctors to initiate any treatment.

Muhammad Shafeek Masani, state president of the Kerala Government Homoeo Medical Officers Association claimed "The ministry has given the nod for conducting research on the impact of homoeo treatment on Covid-19 patients. Our approach is different compared to modern medicine, but it is also effective." As most of the victims are diagnosed with mild symptoms, homeopathic immunity booster medication can be successfully implemented for their treatment, reported a daily. 

He also told TNIE "according to experts in modern medicine, there is no solid cure or protocol to treat Covid-19 treatment, but they act like only they can treat the pandemic. Homeopathy has medicines to treat all symptoms of Covid-19. However, the authorities, including the state government, are not ready to give us a chance". He further added that the secretary of Ayush Department is an allopathic doctor and "We want the government to remove him and appoint someone who can decide things objectively." 

General secretary of the association Dr. Deepa A S said that due to the restrictions imposed on them, they are facing difficulties in attending their normal patients. He added "We are unable to treat even routine allergy symptoms, seasonal flu or bronchial infection. Homoeopathy Medical College at Iranimuttom in Thiruvananthapuram was a COVID first-line treatment center. We used to treat even cancer patients." 

Previously the Medical Dialogues team reported that when the doctors approached the High court regarding the same issue, it 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. Now the doctors are eagerly waiting for the Central government's intervention of the matter. 

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