Unani, Ayurvedic docs in UP may recommend allopathic drugs

Registered Unani and Ayurvedic doctors in Uttar Pradesh will now be allowed to recommend allopathic drugs to patients in a limited manner.
This was decided at a meeting of the state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav here today, an official release said.
The decision was taken in "public interest", it said, adding that necessary laws will be framed and if needed an ordinance will be promulgated soon.
The government has always been of the view that economic and modern medical aid should be provided to people in all the districts of the state, especially in remote areas where there is shortage of MBBS degree holders but Unani and Ayurvedic doctors are available in good number, it said.

Because of the ban on Unani and Ayurvedic doctors using allopathic medicines, patients are not able to get proper treatment, it said, while noting that similar steps have been taken in Maharashtra and Haryana in the past by amending the laws.
The cabinet also approved creating new tehsils in Azamgarh, Lalitpur and Mathura.

On the recommendations of a high level committee, Martinganj in Azamgarh, Govardhan in Mathura and Pali and Madavara in Lalitpur have been made new tehsils to facilitate better administration.
The cabinet gave its nod to the recommendation of chief secretary-level committee for removing pay anomalies of health education officers, district health officers and information officers by granting the amended/upgraded pay scale with immediate effect, the release said.

Implementation of this recommendation would benefit about 1,000 employees and put an additional burden of over Rs 4 crore on the exchequer, it said.
Among other important decisions, the cabinet approved raising the retirement age of registrar and employees of Bhartiya Chikitsa Parishad (UP) from 58 years to 60, it added.