Maharashtra chapter of IMA to protest against allowing Ayurvedic doctors to perform surgeries

All emergency services including intensive care units (ICU) will be functional.

The Maharashtra chapter of Indian Medical Association (IMA) have decided to withdraw non-essential and non-Covid services on December 11 to protest against the notification issued by the Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) which authorises a certain segment of ayurvedic doctors to perform general surgical procedures.

The IMA has also called for a public demonstration on December 8. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

However, all emergency services including intensive care units (ICU) will be functional.

As per the notification, CCIM has mandated that ayurvedic postgraduation in Shalyathanthra and Shalakyathanthra are mandated to undergo training to independently perform 58 procedures include general surgery, urology, surgical gastroenterology, ENT, ophthalmology and dental medicine, among others.

“Just by giving some Sanskrit names, ayurvedic doctors can’t perform surgical procedures. It may risk the lives of patients. To raise among people about the issue, we have decided to stop non-Covid non-essential services on December 11 between 6am and 6pm. But that would not affect the emergency services,” said Dr Avinash Bhondwe, president of IMA, Maharashtra.

IMA has called this ‘Mixopathy’ practice which can increase calamities, as per a statement released by the association.

“The Central Council of Indian Medicines has no authority to prescribe training or the practice of surgery in any form of modern medical practice unilaterally,” reads the statement.

The IMA has also called for a public demonstration on December 8. Adhering to Covid-19 protocols, the demonstrations will be held among 20 participants. The student wings like Medical Student’s Network (MSN) and Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) will participate in it.

All the participants will wear white aprons and sport a stethoscope, along with showcasing placards with slogans against Mixopathy, the statement said.

“We have demanded the withdrawal of the notification. If it doesn’t, then we will decide the future course of action,” said Dr Bhondwe.