Question : ABORTION BY AYUSH PRACTITIONERS

(a) whether the Government proposes to permit AYUSH practitioners, homoeopaths and paramedical staff to administer abortion on a pregnant woman and introduce an amendment bill in this regard, and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Association of Medical Consultants (AMCs) have opposed the draft amendment to the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act;

(c) if so, the details thereof along with the response of the Government thereto; and

(d) whether the Government proposes to encourage ayurvedic remedies on an equal basis to allopathic treatments for medical termination of pregnancies, and if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA)

(a): The Government of India has formulated a Draft Bill on Amendments to the MTP Act in which there is a proposal to allow AYUSH practitioners, homeopaths and paramedical staff (excluding Yoga and Naturopathy) in the public sector to administer medical methods of abortion on pregnant women under certain conditionalities including the requisite training and certification which would be specified in the rules.

(b) to (d): Keeping in view the objective of providing safe abortion services so as to reduce Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR), the Government had earlier put up the Draft Bill under public domain and invited views of general public as well as various stake- holders, including Indian Medical Association (IMA). IMA supported most of the amendment but had objections pertaining to non-MBBS service providers. The Government is of the view that expanding the provider base with strict conditionalities will enhance the access and availability of safe abortion services to women without compromising on quality of service.