Hyderabad: Indian Medical Association (IMA) Telangana chapter on Wednesday began a 14-day relay hunger strike, staging a protest against what they termed as ‘mixopathy’. The relay hunger strike began in over 50 places across the country against the government’s decision to allow students of Ayurvedic medicine to perform general surgical procedures.
The IMA had been opposing the government’s decision of mixing up different systems of medicine which they say will lead to health complications for the citizens. The medical body would end the relay hunger strike on February 14.
The Central Council of Indian Medicine last year has issued a notification stating that Ayurvedic physicians will be allowed to perform a number of surgical procedures including complicated surgeries. IMA representing modern medicine practitioners has called for a nationwide relay hunger strike from February 1, to February 14 and demanding the repeal of CCIM notification.
Dr. D. Lavakumar Reddy, President of IMA Telangana chapter said: “As per the call of IMA, we started a 14 day relay hunger strike. The doctors are protesting against the gazette notification issued by Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) allowing non-allopathic and Ayush doctors to perform surgeries.”
Dr. Mohan Gupta, of IMA Telangana chapter Vice-President, Telangana Hospital and Nursing Homes Association and says, “The decision taken by CCIM has now become a ‘Mixopathy’ or ‘Khichdi’ medicine, as it is being described in general. IMA maintains that all types of medicines shall be practiced in their pure form, as has been substantiated by the highest court of the country.”
Another doctor Md Iqbal Jaweed stated that the IMA wants the government not to interfere with the ‘Modern Allopathic’ system of medicine being followed all over the world, “We Indian doctors lead all the rest in our performance,” Iqbal added.
The IMA also said that the association is not against the development of Ayurveda or UNANI or any system of medicine in its true form but not to undermine it by mixing it with each other.
The IMA Telangana has started protesting with senior doctors and medical students at Sultan Bazar against the government’s decision. Similar protests were being held at all other private corporate hospitals and nursing homes across the country and the state.