Pune: To oppose the Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) gazette which allows students of Ayurveda to practice 58 surgeries, doctors of Indian Medical Association (IMA) staged a relay hunger strike in the city on Tuesday. It was a part of the nationwide strike organised by IMA from February 1.
Prof Dr JA Jayalal, national IMA president, who was in the city on Tuesday, said that any operative procedure is a delicate operation which carries a thin line between life and death.
“The modern medical surgeon does intense study in Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Pathology and Anaesthesia. Surgeons carry out hundreds of surgeries under experienced and wise professors in the surgical streams before getting the post graduate degree. To perform gastrointestinal and laparoscopic surgeries, the surgeon spends a few more years, which cannot be compared with the Ayurveda curriculum where the basic concepts are different,” said Jayalal.
He said that mixing of allopathic surgeries with Ayurveda will hamper the growth and very existence of the ancient branch of Ayurveda.
“An Ayurveda PG student after completing this course can perform surgeries from various specialised branches of Modern Medicine. It means the same student can perform appendectomy, kidney stones, ear surgery, can operate cataract, is allowed to gall stone surgery and is qualified to do dental extraction.
“Such a wide choice is not allowed legally to even general surgeons of modern medicines,” said Jayalal.
{{/usCountry}}“Such a wide choice is not allowed legally to even general surgeons of modern medicines,” said Jayalal.
{{/usCountry}}He said that the Ayurveda vaids will be given a “MS Degree” which will confuse the patients about discipline. IMA will take this fight ahead until the CCIM notification is withdrawn.
“We are not fighting for losing patients. We are fighting against the mixing of disciplines which can affect the life of patients,” said Jayalal.
Dr Arti Nimkar, president, IMA Pune chapter, said that the notification of CCIM should be withdrawn.
“The four committees of National Medical Commission (NMC) should be dissolved immediately, which are formed for such ‘mixopathy’. Students of medicine and junior doctors are also protesting with us against ‘mixopathy’,” said Nimkar.