Friction continues between Ayur and modern medicine Doctors over training

The friction between doctors of Ayurveda and Modern Medicine over training of Ayurveda doctors in modern medicine has escalated with the Ayurveda doctors approaching the High Court against keeping in abeyance the government's earlier order of allowing them to undergo training in modern medicine at government hospitals.

Even as the Ayurveda practitioners claim that the training was only meant to impart a comprehensive knowledge about the whole health system, the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which is all out against it, said that such an exercise will not do any good for the people. The Ayurveda doctors under the aegis of Ayurveda Medical Association of India (AMAI) on Saturday filed a petition before the High Court on Saturday.

AMAI General secretary Dr Rejith Anand said that it was unfortunate that the government had frozen its earlier order of allowing Ayur doctors to train in modern medicine just at the behest of a memorandum from the IMA. ''It is just one month training as part of a national policy and for observing the complications that could arise during a surgery or labour,'' he said.

Lashing out against IMA, Anand alleged that all these protest were only part of industrialisation of the health sector and the protest is only from a section of doctors who see health as a business. The same sentiment was shared by Private Ayurveda Medical Practitioners Association (PAMPA), which said that the BAMS students had all the right to get training as per the syllabus. PAMPA president Dr K Gopalakrishnan said that the syllabus of BAMS students was drawn in such a way that the students get knowledge of anatomy, physiology, medical jurisprudence, pathology, obstetrics and gynecology.

Meanwhile IMA state president Dr Sreejith N Kumar said that they had approached the government against the order pointing out that it violated the spirit of the Medical Council of India guidelines. ''The MCI, which is the highest authority of Modern Medicine, has in 2007 itself given strict directive that modern medicine people can only be trained in modern medicine institutions. And if this was violated, strict action could be taken,'' he said.

Source: The New Indian express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/492355/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/04-05-2015#page/4/1

Govt overlooking merit in appointments to DME

In the wake of the increasing number of Medical Colleges in the state, the appointment to the post of Director of Medical Education (DME) has raised serious concern with allegations that people without necessary qualifications are being tipped for the post.

Despite people having more experience in teaching and clinical care, administrative experience, management qualification and research papers, it is alleged that the government is considering those who have no such experience, which is alleged to be out of political and other pressures.

Stating that merit was never considered for appointments, Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA) secretary Dr C P Vijayan stressed that qualified academicians should only be made DMEs as they can only only bring in novel ideas for developing the medical education sector, which is already said to be deteriorating in the state.

It is reliably known that Kottayam Principal Dr A Remla Beevi and Cochin Medical College Principal Dr Praveen Lal have been considered for the post by the Departmental Promotion committee. It is learned that the government is considering Dr Beevi to the post as the other one is about to retire in a few months.

Generally seniority of principals are taken when making appointments for the post. Even if this criteria is considered, the sources said that there are several others who are more senior than the two who are now being considered. It is also alleged that Kottayam Principal does not have published papers and also falls short of the required 10 years of teaching experience. According to the Medical Council of India norms, ten years of teaching experience and ten published papers are needed for becoming principal or to get appointed to key posts, which are violated here.

Source: The newindian express 

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/459104/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/16-03-2015#page/5/1