IT Correspondent
Mumbai, Jan 30:
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) is planning to organise a fortnight long pan-India relay hunger strike of doctors from first February, Monday, in protest against a notification issued by the Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) that authorises post-graduate practitioners in specified streams of Ayurveda to perform general surgical procedures, stating that it will lead to “mixopathy”.
The fast agitation comes after the nationwide protest on the issue on 08 December and 11 December, 2020.
The agitation will begin on First February and will continue till 14 February and doctors will undertake fast at 50 centres across the country and the venues are being finalised, IMA’s honorary secretary general Dr Jayesh Lele said.
“IMA acknowledges that the Indian population needs different systems of medicine for different conditions of diseases and for promoting wellness. However, we strongly oppose the proposal to make a single doctor practicing all systems together as it will hamper quality and safety as he will lack in-depth knowledge on the particular system of medicine. IMA supports polypathy but not ‘mixopathy’ and “kitchadification” of healthcare systems. IMA is constrained to intensify the agitation as the steps towards implementing ‘mixopathy’ are not being taken back,” said Dr Lele said.
The IMA is giving immediate directives to all members across the country to launch the “Save Healthcare India Movement”. Under the campaign, the IMA will launch a massive awareness drive across the country as this is a clear threat to the safety of healthcare of people, the doctors’ body said in a statement.
Doctors will take turns to sit on the hunger strike 24×7 from February 1 and the IMA will release posters and banners to raise awareness on the issue across the country, the statement said. “All IMA members shall update their Members of Parliament and MLAs regarding the true picture of the notification and the integration policy. The IMA will also give its representations to all state governments. Under this movement, all NGOs will be updated about the core issues. Besides, all IMA members will write and convey their feelings to the prime minister, the association said.
Representatives of the IMA shall visit various places across the country to raise awareness among the public and apprise various associations from different countries of this “unscientific” notification, it said, adding that the global voice of modern medicine shall echo the feelings of the IMA and its members.
The IMA has condemned the notification issued by the CCIM, a statutory body under the union AYUSH Ministry, authorising post-graduate practitioners in specified streams of Ayurveda to be trained to perform surgical procedures such as excisions of benign tumours, amputation of gangrene, nasal and cataract operations.
The doctors’ body further said 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 all systems of medicine as a whole”.
“The IMA demands withdrawal of the CCIM order and dissolution of the NITI AAYOG committees for integration. The IMA appeals to the government to consider the sensitivity of the medical fraternity and take appropriate steps” IMA statement said.
All specialty associations across the country are expected to join the strike through the Federation of Medical Associations under the aegis of IMA. The dental association and modern medical allied health organisations will also participate. Local branches will have hunger strike centres. Women doctors will be on hunger strike all across the nation on February 7. IMA has instructed its Medical Students’ Network (MSN), Junior Doctors’ Network (JDN), IMA Womens’ Wing, IMA Hospital Board, In-service Doctors and Medical Colleges to participate in the agitation.
