Delhi HC impleads Patanjali & Indian Medical Association in plea seeking integrated health system [Read Order]

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court allowed the Indian Medical Association (IMA), a body of practitioners of modern medicine and Patanjali, to intervene in a public interest litigation seeking an integrated health system. The plea asks for a holistic healthcare system that is inclusive of Allopathy, Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Sidda, and Homeopathy to secure the right to health. 

The Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora has directed the Ministry of Health and Ayush to file their reply within 4 weeks. 
"The present application is allowed. Respondents, including the newly impleaded respondent, will file their replies,

The petition filed by Advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay submitted that in spite of huge investment, current health care system of India is not able to meet its standards and benefit Indian population to fight against acute and chronic diseases. 

The petitioner further claimed that on September 15, 2020, the Minister of State, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, stated in the Rajya Sabha on the subject of the number of doctors per capita that 12,55,786 allopathic doctors are registered with the Medical Council of India (MCI), according to data provided by the Board of Governors. 

About 10 lakh doctors might be available for active duty, assuming an 80% availability rate. Based on the most recent population estimate, it yields a doctor-to-population ratio of about 1:1500, the plea states. 

In order to establish integrated medicinal system, Government have already made certain amendments to enable these provisions to become a part of health care policies, the petitioner agreed while stating that this alone isnt sufficient. 

But so far adopted strategies are not sufficient to provide adequate platform to integrated medicinal approach. Therefore, it is mandatory to make appropriate amendments to legalize the status of integrated medicinal system.

As per the plea, the suggested holistic integrated medicinal approach will favor the financially deprived section of Indian population as this is pocket friendly with high reach and will be able to cover such huge dense population of the country. It will also help them to build a sense of responsibility to serve their society which cannot be possible in case of modern medicine, the plea claimed. 

The next hearing has been scheduled for May 13.

[Read Order]