Health dept's decision sparks fury among Ayurveda doctors

Kolkata: The state Health department's decision to not recruit Ayurveda practitioners as the community health officers (CHO) across health and wellness centres in the state, which are in the process of up-gradation, has triggered resentment among thousands of Ayurveda doctors.

This comes at a time when Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has laid enormous emphasis on the development of Ayurveda infrastructure in the state. It may be mentioned that after coming to power, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee initiated allopath training for Ayurveda doctors in order to mitigate the crisis of doctors in rural areas.

But the decision taken by the state Health department to not appoint Ayurveda practitioners at the health and wellness centres is going to put the carrier of young Ayurveda practitioners in jeopardy.

The state Health department has already started six months bridge programme in community health for nurses under the National Health Mission.

The Health department is going to recruit only the nurses as community health officers after their successful completion of the bridge course.

The Union Health Ministry has urged all the state governments to recruit both Ayurveda practitioners and nurses as CHOs at the health and wellness centres after they complete the bridge course. But in case of Bengal, the Health department has shown reluctance in absorbing Ayurveda practitioners in community health service.

Nearly, 10,300 primary health centres across the state are in the process of getting upgraded to health and wellness centres. Those who would be appointed as CHOs will lead primary health care teams comprising both female and male health workers and ASHA workers as well.

Those who are treating patients through Ayurveda and doing private practice in the state said the decision of the Health department will affect them. They maintained that they fulfil the criteria that are required for the job. The government cannot discriminate between nurses and Ayurveda practitioners, Ayurveda doctors said.

The Bengal chapter of National Ayurveda Students' and Youth Association (NASYA) has already written to the Governor, the Chief Secretary of the state and to the Director of Ayurveda in the state seeking their intervention in this regard.

Dr Chagan Jangid, president of NASYA said: "Ayurveda practitioners are being deprived despite having adequate qualifications pre-requisite for the job. We have already brought the matter to the notice of the top government officials and hope that the issue would be resolved."

When asked about the matter, a senior official of the National Health Mission in the state was not ready to comment on the issue.