Srinagar: In the mountains of Bumzu, Anantnag, a tale of despair unfolds as Nadia Shafi, 29, recounts her journey through college pursuing a Bachelor's in Homeopathy Medical Science. Foreseeing herself as the family breadwinner, her aspirations crumbled as she realized her efforts were in vain, with the certainty of securing a government job proving elusive.
Like Nadia, at least six hundred Homeopathic Doctors in the Kashmir valley are grappling with unemployment due to the absence of a recruitment policy since 2016.
"I completed my degree in 2018, yet neither I nor anyone from my batch has secured a government job," laments Nadiya.
The administration hasn’t addressed our concerns despite numerous attempts, Nadia recounts the collective frustration, "We've approached officials, but they continue to ignore us."
“And other doctors have been waiting for eight years now.”
The injustice became more apparent in June 2019 when the NRHM-J&K announced a six-month Bridge policy, offering jobs at Community Health centres across the Kashmir Valley. Shockingly, this excluded Homeopathy, restricting the openings to specific Ayush branches like Unani, Ayurveda, and Yoga, she tells The Himalayan Post.
“Despite Homeopathy being an integral part of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) it faced exclusion.”
“This is discrimination against Homeopathy and it reflects a lack of government support, she adds.
Basharat Ahmad, 30, another Homeopathic doctor from Awantipora in south Kashmir’s Pulwama, shares a similar ordeal.
"In Kashmir, recruitment is not regular like other Indian states. Our future seems bleak, and it appears we educated ourselves for nothing."
"Last time NRHM offered recruitment for 50 posts, but the placements were confined to Jammu division only," adds Dr. Basharat.
"Our families invested in us, and the administration must address our problems."
"The Ayurgyan scheme, introduced by the Ministry of Ayush GOI in June 2023, aims to promote education and research support to Ayush. However, it seems to be mere policy announcements with little practical implementation on the ground," he continues.
Moreover, out of around 670 NRHM dispensaries operating in Kashmir, only 8 were allotted to the field of Homeopathy, which is both unjust and discriminatory, says Basharat.
“Homeopathic practitioners deserve equal quotas for new WellCare centers, we are qualified doctors. One has to settle in life, he adds.
When contacted by The Himalayan Post, Babila Rakwal, MD NHM-J&K, remained unresponsive despite repeated calls over two days. We will update the story as she responds.