Last Updated on November 27, 2020 by The Health Master
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has demanded the withdrawal of the notification of the amendment regulations of postgraduate Ayurveda education stating that entire modern medical profession of the nation feels betrayed by the level of violation and encroachment by the Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM).
“In the said notification, the postgraduate courses namely MS Shalya Tantra and Shalakya Tantra (General Surgery) have been incorporated. A long list of modern medicine surgical procedures have been enlisted under Shalya Tantra and Shalakya Tantra.
These competencies squarely fall under the ambit, authority and jurisdiction of modern medicine having been prescribed by the then Medical Council of India as the competencies ascribable to the postgraduate course titled MS (General Surgery),” stated the IMA.
While the Ayush Ministry has issued a clarification claiming that the technical terms and modern developments are a common heritage of mankind, but the IMA has rejected their clarification as being deceptive camouflage of mixing the systems of medicine.
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“It is nothing but a blatant attempt at mixopathy and Khichadification of medical education and practice. The CCIM amendments cannot be seen in isolation. The National Education Policy 2020 speaks of medical pluralism and lateral entry laying the foundation legitimising mixopathy.
India remains the frontier of modern medicine today with medical care of international standards and well reputed Indian doctors serving the globe. What is the point in losing such a legacy and leadership?” said Dr Rajan Sharma, national president, IMA.
Seeking for an emergency session, the central working committee of IMA has directed all the 28 state branches to hold their state working committees.
NITI Aayog in its wisdom has formed four committees in medical education, practice, public health and research to officially mix all systems into one integrative system of medicine.
“One Nation One System is being espoused as the official policy. All the 600 odd medical colleges of India are expected to turn out Hybrid doctors of a Khichadi medical system by 2030,” the association stated.
“This is not the issue of the profession alone, but also entails serious inroads into the health care delivery system of the country. This involves calibration of patient care for years to come and people of India have a right to understand these manoeuvres. The patient’s choice to choose the system of medicine is being taken away in the naked attempt to mix all systems of medicine,” said Dr RV Asokan, honorary secretary general, IMA.
Dr Sharma added, “The empty words of the Ministry of Ayush of deep commitment to maintain the authenticity of Indian systems of medicine and that it is against any mixing of systems sound hollow in their pregnant silence to the medical pluralism advocated by the National Education Policy 2020 and the infamous attempts of NITI Aayog to mix all systems of medicine into a single integrative system.”
IMA also questioned about the use of terminologies by Ayurveda practitioners. Interrogating if Ayush have their own anesthesia drugs and procedures, IMA asked if the pre-anesthetic medication would be named as Ayush drug, and the Ayush doctors would be termed as Ayush anesthetists?
The association added that it is very obvious that Ayush is dependent on modern medicine doctors, anaesthesia, antibiotics and equipment to perform modern medicine surgical procedures.
“Perhaps Ayush doctors who are trained in administering them as What about post operative care and infection control? How will a system not subscribing to microbial theory find a way to control sepsis? Will it be a throwback to the 19th century septic wards? How will the Government find adequate resources to create new infrastructure from nowhere to fend for this modern medicine B team?,” the association stated.
“The object and purpose of mixing the systems is perhaps borne out of a false claim on heritage. The medical colleges in Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai were established in 19th century and remain heritage of man. Some of the sensational discoveries like the malarial parasite and its treatment were formulated in India. Modern medicine is as much Indian as anyone’s. Rapid strides in modern medicine like vaccination and chemotherapy of tuberculosis took their baby steps in India,” added Dr Asokan.
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