IMA slams ‘mixopathy’, to withdraw non-essential, non-COVID services on Dec. 11

Calls for rollback of nod for surgical practice by Ayurveda practitioners

IMA announces withdrawal of non-essential and non-COVID services on December 11 to protest against recent notification by the government to allow legal practice of surgeries by Ayurveda practitioners.

Stating that the recent notification by the government to allow surgical operations by Ayurveda practitioners and the formation of four committees by the NITI Aayog will only lead to “mixopathy”, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has demanded an immediate withdrawal of both notifications.

In a release issued on Tuesday, the Association has called for withdrawal of non-essential and non-COVID services on December 11 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. in protest. Emergency services including casualty, labour rooms, emergency surgeries will function along with ICU’s, and CCU’s; but no elective surgical case will be posted.

“The recent policy tilt as evidenced in the medical pluralism advocated by the National Education Policy 2020 and the four committees of NITI Aayog for officially integrating the systems of medicine in medical education, practice, public health and administration as well as research ostensibly for a “One Nation One System” policy will ring the death knell of modern medicine system as a whole. In fact the purity and identity of Ayurveda stands equally challenged. That the council prescribed modern medicine text books and Ayurveda institutions practised surgery with the assistance of modern medical doctors cannot be reason enough to legitimise encroachment into the jurisdiction and competencies of modern medicine,” said Rajan Sharma, national president, IMA.

The Association added that adhering to COVID protocols, public demonstrations will be held in small groups of 20 participants between 12 noon to 2 p.m. on December 8.

“IMA demands withdrawal of the order and dissolution of the NITI Aayog committees for integration. IMA appeals to the Government to consider the sensitivity of the medical fraternity and take appropriate steps. IMA will be constrained to intensify the agitation until the steps towards implementing “mixopathy” are abandoned.

The IMA has appealed to all the sister professional speciality organisations, the organisations of medical college teachers, Government Doctors, Resident Doctors Associations apart from medical students and Hospitals Associations to support its cause to retain the separate identity and existence of modern medicine,” added R.V. Asokan, honorary Secretary General, IMA.