ITANAGAR, 11 Dec: Doctors in Arunachal on Friday sported black badges and observed a token strike in support of the IMA against the notification by the Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) to allow postgraduate Ayurveda students to study and practice allopathic surgical procedures.
They, however, attended their usual duties and OPD and other medical services functioned normally, the president of the Arunachal chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA-AP), Dr Lobsang Tsetim said.
The IMA-AP did not go for the bandh call but wore black badges in solidarity with the central IMA. The decision was taken as Arunachal has a limited number of doctors and a total bandh call could affect the healthcare delivery system, he said.
Opposing the government notification, the IMA-AP said that the mixing of streams of medicines in surgery is not only hazardous to the health of the general people but may also be fatal.
Dr Tsetim said modern medicines and Ayurveda are totally different subjects. “The mixing of both will be detrimental to the health sector,” he said, and wondered who would be held responsible if a surgery by an Ayurveda graduate goes wrong.
The association, however, said it has no issue with the practicing of medicine by Ayurveda students, he said.
The IMA-AP has also requested the state government to oppose and not implement the CCIM notification in the state, and will seek its withdrawal.
The demands of the IMA include withdrawal of the four committees of the NITI Aayog; mixing of all systems of medicines and the National Education Policy, which proposes to phase out all institutions offering single streams; and that all universities and colleges must aim to become multidisciplinary by 2040. (PTI)
