• IMA opposes Govt. move to allow Ayurvedic doctors to perform surgeries
• Calls it ‘mixopathy’ akin to promoting quackery and threat to human life

Mysore/Mysuru: All non-essential and non-COVID services are likely to be hit on Dec. 11 between 6 am and 6 pm following a protest call by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which is up in arms against the Central Government allowing Post-Graduate scholars of Ayurveda to formally practice general surgery, including ortho and dentistry. 

As a prelude to the strike, all doctors attended to patients by pinning black ribbons today. 

Emergency services including casualty, labour rooms and emergency surgeries will, however, function along with inpatient services including ICUs and critical care.  

Last month, the Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) had allowed PG degree holders of Ayurveda to perform a variety of procedures including general surgery, orthopaedic, ophthalmology, ENT and dental procedures and surgeries.

The students would receive training in ‘shalya’ (general surgery) and ‘shalakya’ (diseases of ear, nose, throat, eye, head, oro-dentistry) specialisations. It will make them legally valid to perform procedures such as skin grafting, cataract surgery and root canal treatment.

At a press conference held at Pathrakarthara Bhavan in city this morning, IMA, Mysuru Branch office-bearers opposed the Centre’s move. They not only raised serious objections to it but also to the use of ‘mixopathy’ because they believe that each and every variant of medicine is different and has its own identity and the amalgamation of various streams of medical science is a threat to human life and the healthcare system.

“Our main motive behind this protest is to reach out to the common people, to make them aware of this threat. Mixing medical sciences and medicines is a great threat to patients and this will increase the burden on the students and healthcare system,” said IMA Mysuru Branch President Dr. B.N. Anandaravi. 

“All over India, students and practitioners of modern medicine are agitated over this violation of mutual identity and respect,” said Dr. S.P. Yoganna adding that IMA will resist all    efforts to mix systems. 

The latest move by the Centre is an addition to the host of decisions taken amid COVID-19 pandemic. IMA has been openly opposing such policy moves by the Centre, especially the plan to mix modern medicine with traditional systems of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH), in coming years. 

IMA Secretary Dr. N. Chandrabhan Singh, office-bearers and members Dr. Siddesh, Dr. C. Rajan, Dr. Prasanna Shankar; Mysore Association of Hospitals, Nursing Homes and Diagnostic Centres (MAHAN) President and Senior Consultant Physician Dr. K. Javeed Nayeem and others were present at the press meet.