Kathmandu, December 26:

Sameer Adhikary joined Ayurveda College at Kirtipur, intending to contribute to Ayurveda and alternative medicine by becoming an expert.

His dream was shattered when his degree provided by the Ayurveda Campus at Kirtipur didn’t get recognised by the Central Council for Indian Medicine (CCIM) with which the Bachelors of Ayurveda and Medical Surgery (BAMS) is affiliated.

“I had to stop my further studies in Ayurveda,” Adhikari said, adding: “When I realised my dream won’t come true, I started to work as a general practitioner in a private clinic at Dilli Bazaar. I studied BAMS for five-and-half-years. But the inaction of the campus shattered not only my career but also the dreams of over 90 BAMS degree holders.”

The Ayurveda Campus follows the curriculum recommended by the CCIM. The Campus has neither been able to run Master’s level programme nor been able to get its products recognised by the Indian institution. This has led some students to opt for other fields, like acupuncture.

Dr Sumana Thasi Nekoo, a product of the first batch of the Ayurveda Campus, and working at private hospital in Bhaktapur and two more clinics, says if the doctors are not recognised and they cannot further pursue their studies, there is no meaning to run the institute.

“This has led to academic and practical stagnation of the field,”she added.

According to her, existing human resources have not been fully utilised because of limited institutions. There is only one regional hospital with 30 beds where only two doctors are serving, whereas the hospital has quota for at least 12 doctors.

“Public Service Commission has also not opened any vacancy in this filed for the past two years despite government’s policy as well as commitment to set up Institute of Ayurveda and Research Centre.”

The Campus so far has produced over 90 Ayurveda doctorsDr Shyam Mani Adhikari, president of Ayurveda Doctors’ Association of Nepal, says that Dean Office of Institute of Medicine - Tribhuvan University, NAMC failed to raise a collective voice, landing the fresh College products only one option to join other fields.

The officials at the Ministry of Health and Population said they are surprised by the CCIM as

it is not recognising the programme, which is being run with their consent, suggestions and recommendations.

Dr Laxmi Kanta Chapagain, deputy director of Department of Ayurveda and registrar of the NAMC, said: “The CCIM is neither recognising our products not has sent any official letter about it. We repeatedly requested them from our side stating that our infrastructure is also up to the mark.”

Recently, Minister for Health and Population Giriraj Mani Pokharel visited India, where he was expected to take up this issue with them, but we have not received any response, says Dr Thakur Raj Adhikari, joint secretary at Ayurveda and Alternative Medicine.