By Esha Mishra

Copyright timesnownews

Mumbai: Healthcare services across Maharashtra are set to be disrupted tomorrow, 18 September, as doctors stage a complete shutdown in protest against the state government’s decision to permit homeopaths with CCMP (Certificate Course in Modern Medicine and Surgery) qualifications to register with the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC). The Indian Medical Association (IMA) Maharashtra is spearheading the strike, joined by the Association of Medical Consultants (AMC) Mumbai and other medical bodies. The protest, beginning at 8 am on Wednesday, will mark the second major strike threat in just two months. The previous one was called off after assurances from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s government, but doctors now say their concerns have not been addressed. “This drastic but necessary step underscores our united opposition to the dilution of modern scientific medicine, a move that threatens patient safety, violates the statutory framework of the NMC and MMC, and disregards the pending judgment of the Hon’ble Bombay High Court,” the AMC Mumbai wrote in a letter backing the strike. Medical professionals argue that registering homeopathic practitioners under the MMC blurs the boundaries of scientific medicine and risks compromising healthcare delivery. “By standing together with IMA Maharashtra, we send a clear and powerful message to the Government: revoke the regressive decision immediately and uphold the integrity of modern medical practice,” the letter further stated. While the protesting doctors stress they are “not against any Pathy” and respect other modes of treatment, they insist that allowing homeopaths into the state’s mainstream medical regulatory body could endanger patients. Residents across Maharashtra may face disruption in outpatient services, elective procedures, and routine consultations tomorrow, though emergency services are expected to remain functional.