Integrated Medicinal System: Delhi HC Seeks Centre's Response On Plea For Providing Holistic Treatment Under Allopathy, Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Etc.

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice on a public interest litigation filed by Advocate Ashwini Upadhyay, seeking adoption of a "Holistic Integrated Medicinal System" in India.

It is his case that rather than segregated way of Allopathy, Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy in order to secure medical treatment, medical education and consequently medical treatment granted to patients should be holistic and should encompass courses of all branches.

At the outset, the Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Navin Chawla hearing the matter stated that it will direct the Centre to consider the PIL as a representation.

"Ultimately these are policy issues they have to consider," it remarked.

However, the Petitioner insisted that the matter involves "Constitutional obligations" of the government; Right to health is guaranteed under Articles 21, 39(e), 41, 43, 47, 48(a), 51A of the Constitution.

"Modern medicine practitioners have remained confined to their own niche which has restricted them to avail knowledge of other medicinal practices and thereby cannot benefit the diseased individuals by using other therapeutic regimens. Moreover, established provisions regarding their practice doesn't permit them to use other medicinal systems in order to provide maximum health benefits. Henceforth, it is highly needed to establish integrated medicinal system to enable those practitioners who are willing to prescribe medicines of other domains," the plea stated.

Accordingly, the Court directed the Centre to examine the prayers made in the writ petition and come forward with a response, within 8 weeks.

Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Ministry of Ayush, Ministry of Women & Child Development, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Law & Justice are Respondents in the matter.

The matter will next be heard on September 8.

Case Title: Aswhini Upadhyay v. Union of India