Doctors At 10,000 Locations On A Massive Strike To Oppose Ayurveda Doctors Performing Surgery

Last month on November 19, the Government of India issued a new notification, which allowed Ayurveda doctors to legally perform a variety of general surgeries, in conjunction with specialized fields like ophthalmology, ortho, ENT and dental practices.

The President of Central Council of Indian Medicine also clarified that this was done to assure the legality of Ayurveda surgeries and medical practices, which have been in practice for over 25 years.

However, the apex body of Indian doctors, namely the Indian Medical Association has depicted strong opposition to this move, thereby calling a strike on December 11 at 10,000 locations across the country.

Let’s learn more about this.

Strikes Held by Doctors Against Govt Notification

The doctors’ body IMA has strongly opposed the Government’s notification to allow Ayurveda doctors to perform surgeries.

Subsequently, the IMA has declared to conduct strikes across 10,000 locations around the country on December 11, to protest against this notification.

#IMA withdraws all non-Eessential non-COVID Medical Services on December 11, 2020 (Friday) pic.twitter.com/AdWN4rcCnd

— Indian Medical Association (@IMAIndiaOrg) December 9, 2020

They threatened to withdraw all non-essential, non-Covid services in hospitals and hold demonstrations across the country on December 8, from 12 to 2 pm.

Public demonstrations to be held by #IMA at 10,000 spots across India against #mixopathy on Tuesday, the 8th of December 2020 from 12 to 2 pm.

— Indian Medical Association (@IMAIndiaOrg) December 7, 2020

Now, the IMA has called for a strike on December 11 at 10,000 locations across the country, by withdrawing all non-Essential non-COVID Medical Services on December 11, 2020.

IMA Says No to ‘Mixopathy’

Under the National President of IMA Dr. Rajan Sharma and its Hony. Secretary General Dr. R.V. Asokan, the IMA has termed the decision of allowing Ayurveda practitioner doctors to conduct general surgeries, as ‘mixopathy’.

In their tweet declaring withdrawal of all non-essential non-COVID medical services on December 11, the IMA boldly stated, ‘Say No to “MIXOPATHY”.

‘Mixopathy’ is not an actual word and is a term used to describe vital parts of modern medicine being mixed with Ayurveda or homeopathy. 

The IMA used the term in the current context of allowing Ayurveda postgraduates to perform the 58 surgeries.

Government’s Notification for Ayurveda Doctors

The Government released a notification on November 19, to allow Ayurveda doctors to be trained and legally allowed to perform general surgeries and undertake specialized medical practices.

The notification listed 58 varieties of surgeries that postgraduate Ayurveda medical students would officially be trained to perform independent surgeries.

These included 39 general surgery procedures and 19 other procedures, involving the eye, ear, nose and throat, by amending the Indian Medicine Central Council Regulations, 2016.

Additionally, PG courses in surgery, ENT and ophthalmology have been there in Ayurveda since the past 20-25 years, with surgical OPDs too being conducted.