AHMEDABAD: A majority of the 30,000-odd state-based doctors who are members of Indian Medical Association (IMA) supported the nationwide call for bandh on Friday against ‘mixopathy.’ The members in Ahmedabad organized a protest at IMA/ Ahmedabad Medical Association (AMA) headquarters on Ashram Road from 11am to 2pm.
IMA had given a call for the nationwide protest against the proposed amendments in the CCIM Act which would enable doctors from non-allopathic backgrounds to perform certain procedures. The protesters termed it ‘mixopathy,’ and said that they are not against any discipline of medicines, but against mixing of the methods which would also dilute the original knowledge.
Dr Devendra Patel, president of IMA Gujarat chapter, said that majority of the members refrained from work between 6 am and 6 pm. “Majority of the hospitals and clinics were closed in the city and elsewhere. But we had requested the members to ensure that no emergency case or Covid-19 treatment is affected,” he said.
Dr Mona Desai, immediate past president of AMA, told media that the government must not play with the health of people by allowing ayurvedic doctors to perform surgeries after a three-year course. The placards held by the IMA and AMA members reiterated the demands of the members to scrap the provision and termed it as a ‘health hazard’ for the patients.