IDPD condemns NMC move to push medical care to medieval times

Ludhiana, April 2, 2022: The Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD) has taken strong exception to the National Medical Commission’s decision to replace Hippocratic oath by Charak Shapath for the graduates of the modern medicine (Allopathy). It should be made clear here that Hippocratic oath was never in vogue; in fact all the new graduates have been signing a declaration at the time of registration. Charak was a physician who lived in 300 BC and deserves all respect for his contribution to medicine in contemporary times. 

In a statement Dr S S Soodan-President,  Dr Arun Mitra-Senior-Vice President and Dr Shakeel Ur Rahman-General secretary of IDPD said that what was norm those days is  not necessarily relevant today. According to the Charak Samhita a physician has to live the life of celibacy, grow beard and obey the orders of the king even to not examine a patient if the king does not desire. This means that a doctor is not supposed to marry and women cannot become physicians. Moreover there will be a compulsory course of yoga for the doctors, ostensibly this is being introduced to treat the mental disorders, even suicidal tendencies. This is totally fallacious as mental disorders can be treated by the modern medicine only. With due regards to Charak for his contribution in Ayurveda in the contemporary times it has to be understood that times have changed and any oath has to be according to modern times and scientific evidence.  World Medical Association has designed a modern medical oath which is relevant for the doctors globally. The decision is a subtle move to generate hyper-nationalism even though it amounts to pushing the medical care to medieval times.