KANNUR: The Public Health Bill, which bans AYUSH from the treatment of 30 diseases including conjunctivitis and chicken pox, and restricting it to allopathy alone, is coming in the next session of the Legislative Assembly. It is feared that when the bill becomes a reality after the consideration of the Select Committee and the Expert Committee, around ten thousand Ayush doctors will be in limbo.

Associations of allopathic doctors have written to the government to exclude AYUSH from the bill. Meanwhile, ayurvedic and homeopathic doctors' associations met all the MLAs, including select committee members, to convince them of all aspects of the bill. They also demanded that they should be involved in the planning of the prevention and treatment of communicable and non-communicable diseases on all 3 levels of panchayats.

According to the bill

25 infectious diseases and 11 lifestyle diseases are treated with allopathy only

AYUSH's concern

• The drug mafia will take hold
• Penalties for medical malpractice will be limited to fines

Under AYUSH

Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Unani, Siddha, Naturopathy, Acupuncture, Sujok

Government AYUSH Institutions- 2500

Seats in the state

• Allopathy- 4005
• Ayurveda- 1043
• Homeo - 276
• Siddha - 60
• Unani - 50

When the law comes into effect

Only doctors of modern medicine have the authority to issue certificates to prove recovery from communicable diseases. Treatment as per the protocol announced by the state authority on communicable diseases for allopathic patients only.

The Public Health Bill is under consideration by the Select Committee. The Bill will cover all matters. All issues will be discussed and decided.

Veena George, Health Minister

It is not right to ignore government-approved treatments. Do not deny the authority to treat and issue certificates to the cured. Equal consideration should be ensured in the bill. Imposing only one type of treatment is tyranny.



Dr. PA Yahia,

State Joint Secretary,

International Forum for Promoting Homeopathy