Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 10: Division Bench of State High Court comprising Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Janak Raj Kotwal disposed of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) field by Educational Environmental Social Sports and Cultural Society regarding implementation of AYUSH systems of medicine to strengthen the public health system at all level,
“This PIL has been filed to ensure that AYUSH system of medicine is effectively implemented in the State. The apprehensions expressed by the petitioner were that doctors who were otherwise trained in the Ayurvedic/Unani System of Medicines were made to prescribe allopathic medicine which would be detrimental and dangerous to the health of patients”, the DB observed.
“Another aspect is that the official respondents were deputing doctors from AYUSH to discharge duties in OPD and roster duties in the Allopathic Dispensaries. The third aspect is that even basic medicines were not being made available in dispensaries for the proper and effective treatment of the patients”, the DB further observed.
Senior Additional Advocate General Seema Shekhar has filed a status report wherein it appears that a meeting had been convened where certain decisions were taken to the extent that AYUSH doctors would not be put on roster/causality/emergency duties and they would be made visibly available in all the dispensaries on a daily basis.
It was also decided that the AYUSH doctors would not prescribe allopathic medicine and they would not be assigned any night/causality duties. For a proper and effective implementation of the decision a system has been devised where surprise visits would be made in both the provinces of the State with a view to ensure that AYUSH staff is not put on roster/emergencies/night duties.
“It appears that the concern of the petitioners with regard to this aspect stands duly addressed and it is hoped that the authorities would assiduous by implementing the decisions taken in letter and spirit, with a view to give the people the benefit of the scheme of AYUSH framed by the Central Government”, the DB said, adding “the other aspect which is required to be gone into at this stage is that the dispensaries of AYUSH are equipped with at least the basic medicines with which the dispensaries can in fact become functional instead of just serving as employment avenues for doctors appointed under the scheme”.
“Mrs Shekhar submits and assures the court that adequate steps would be taken for supplying medicines to such dispensaries immediately”, the DB said and disposed of the PIL.
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