IMA to stage protest against Centre's latest Ayurveda surgery move

NEW DELHI: Protesting against the recent amendments by the Central Council of Indian Medicine enabling post-graduate Ayurveda surgery students to study and practise modern medicine and surgical procedures, doctors across the country have called for street protests in over 10,000 public spots on Tuesday.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) said the protest will be in small groups of 20 following the Covid-19 protocols and will see the participation of cross-sections of doctors from medical colleges, government services, general practitioners, specialists, resident doctors and medical students.

The public demonstrations will be followed by withdrawal of non-essential non-Covid services on December 11 when out-patient services will not be available and elective surgeries will not be posted.

In a statement on Monday, the IMA said modern surgery is teamwork and surgeries are carried out with the help of anaesthetists and several other backup services.

“These disciplines are a part of modern medicine and use drugs from modern medicine pharmacopoeia,” it said, adding that the surgical procedures and techniques are defined and described in modern medicine textbooks.

The association underlined that there is no equivalent to induction anaesthesia or resuscitation from shock with drugs like dopamine infusion or usage of antibiotics to control infection in any other system of medicine.

“Transgressing the power vested due to the statuary status, CCIM has precipitated the crisis in the healthcare delivery of the nation,” said the statement.

The association added that this move is a regressive step and is a throwback to medieval ages.