Doctors across India went on strike Tuesday over a controversial bill that would allow practitioners of alternative therapies such as homeopathy to practise as medical doctors. The bill proposes to reform the country’s ailing healthcare system and address a chronic shortage of doctors, particularly in rural areas. It would allow those qualified in areas such as homeopathy and ayurveda — a traditional form of Indian medicine — to practise Western medicine after completing a “bridging course” of an unspecified duration. India has nearly 800,000 practitioners of traditional medicine who undergo rigorous training in their own fields, but are not currently allowed to prescribe drugs. India has an estimated 840,000 medical doctors — one for every 1,674 people — far fewer than the one per 1,000 people recommended by the World Health Organization.

Source: The Guardian January 02, 2018 12:56 UTC