Move to allow Ayurveda doctors to perform surgeries draws flak

Bengaluru: The gazette notification by the Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) that allows Ayurvedic post graduate degree holders to perform general surgery continues to draw sharp reactions from the doctors.

"It seems to be an ill thought out move. Allowing Ayurvedic doctors to perform surgeries is not safe for the patients and is likely to lead to serious complications, including loss of life, since there are no Ayurvedic anaesthesia medicines and specialists. The lack of safe Ayurvedic antibiotics and painkillers for postoperative care is likely to increase the postoperative complications, leading to increased morbidity and mortality," Dr R Ravindra, former President Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA) said. Reacting sharply to the criticism by Indian Medical Association (IMA), the executive committee member of CCIM, Dr Anand Kirshal remarked that IMA should concentrate on elevating healthcare in the nation.

"According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), on every 10,000 people, there should be one Primary Health Centre (PHC) in India but more than 30,000 people have only one PHC instead. In the PHCs' in rural areas 80% of the workforce has doctors from the AYUSH department in rural areas. There is a huge deficiency of allopathy doctors there," he said.

"Moreover, the IMA should not forget that Sushruta is considered as the father of surgery and the compendium of Sushruta Samhita is the foundational texts of Ayurveda," he stated.

Questioning the move, Dr Jagadish Hiremath, CEO, Ace Suhas Hospital said, "It isn't really a good idea. Poaching on modern medicine as the Ayurveda approach altogether and lately they have been referring to modern medicine books but that wouldn't be enough to qualify as a surgeon. Also, what will be the value of the NEET exam conducted for UG medical Courses."

"Is there anaesthesia training in Ayurveda? Are the surgeries performed in awake patients? Why have we not got any multi centre reports on surgeries performed by this group of surgeons?" he questioned.