THE NATIONAL Medical Commission has made a suggestion that the Hippocratic oath taken by doctors during their graduation ceremony should be replaced by a Charak Shapath.
The suggestion was made during the discussion with all medical colleges of India on February 7.
However, Dr Aruna V Vaniker, president of the under-graduate medical education board of the NMC, who chaired the meeting, said no final decision has been taken on making the specific change on oath to be taken by doctors.
“No comments at this stage. You will get all the details once it is finalised,” Vaniker said.
The minutes of NMC discussion with the medical colleges said: “No Hippocratic Oath. During white coat ceremony (with parents) the oath will be “Maharishi Charak Shapath” present in NMC website.”
Charaka Samihata is Sanskrit text on Indian traditional medicine Ayurveda. Maharishi Charak Shapath is mentioned in Charaka Samihata.
Sources said that undergraduates at the country’s premier health institute AIIMS have been taking Charak Oath during annual convocation for quite some time. “Not for the self; Not for the fulfillment of any worldly material desire or gain, But solely for the good of suffering humanity, I will treat my patient and excel well,” the Charak Oath sworn at AIIMS reads.
Former Director of AIIMS Dr M C Misra said even before he took over as Director of AIIMS in 2013 the institute had adopted Charak Shapath at the annual convocation ceremony.
The Hippocratic Oath is an oath of ethics traditionally taken by doctors. It is derived from the Greek medical texts. “I swear by Apollo Physician and Asclepius and Hygieia and Panaceia and all the gods and goddesses, making them my witnesses, that I will fulfill according to my ability and judgment this oath and this covenant… I will apply dietetic measures for the benefit of the sick according to my ability and judgment; I will keep them from harm and injustice..,” the classic Hippocratic oath states.