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

Knives out over Surgery training to Ayur Drs

The question of allowing Ayurveda doctors to undergo training in modern medicine such as surgery and Labour, and allowing them to prescribe certain modern medicines has now created a drift between the two systems of medicines. While Allopathy doctors state that the move would only create semi qualified doctors, the Ayurveda Doctors said that the training was only meant to impart a comprehensive knowledge about the whole health system.

Though the government wants Ayurveda and Allopathy systems of medicines to join hands, the Allopathy doctors maintain that it would only create anarchy in the state. When the Ayurveda Medical Association of India (AMAI) states that training was imparted as part of a national policy, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) said that there was no such policy and it would only lead to a rivalry between the two systems of medicine.

Stating that the move was a violation of Medical Council of India’s guidelines that only those who are going to prrcatise modern medicine should be trained in modern medicine, IMA, Kerala Chapter, president Dr Sreejith N Kumar said ''Ayruveda doctors say that they want to observe autopsy, labour and surgery. But our question is why do they want to observe? Surgery, Labour and autopsy are not exhibitions for any one to observe. And any one who observes such things should have a definite purpose.''

Meanwhile, AMAI General secretary Dr Rejith Anand said that it was just one month training that was being given and was only meant for observing the complications that could arise during a surgery or labour. ''We do not know if any harm would come if Ayurveda doctors and students are given one month training or if they observe surgery, labour or autopsy. Just like Allopathy doctors, Ayurveda doctors also study anatomy and physiology,'' he said.

However, Kumar said ''one does not decide if a patient should be given Ayurveda or Allopathy treatment after seeing surgery or labour. If Any Ayurveda doctor wants to practise modern medicine, let him complete MBBS, which is the basic qualification for practising modern medicine.''

Noting that lot of allegations have come out against alternative practitioners, he said that a state like Kerala did not need such practioners. ''There are lots of modern practioners who can prescribe modern medicine,'' he said. Moreover, he also questioned the rational behind incorporating modern medicine in Ayurveda Syllabus.

Source: The newindian express 

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/445068/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/23-02-2015#page/4/1

Service Extension to Docs a financial strain

At a time the Oommen Chandy government has come out with various measures to tide over the present financial crisis,  the extension of service of as many as 50 doctors in the Health Service by six months is alleged to be draining the state exchequer. 

The government is paying out a crore per month for the doctors who are at the verge of retirement and who are on extended service when hundreds of doctors are in waiting in the PSC list, which has been pending for a long time.

Those who are at the verge of retirement and the others whose extension period is almost over draws a salary of about Rs 1.50 to Rs 1.75 lakh per month, which means that the state pays out about Rs 75 lakh to Rs 80 lakh. When these doctors are paid such a huge amount, the entry level salary is Rs 40,000.

Officials point out that it is a paradox that the service of the doctors, who are paid highly, are being extended even when the government is talking of bold steps to tide over the financial crisis.  The government had even hiked water charges and removed the existing caps on stamp duty and registration fee, thereby projecting an additional revenue of more than Rs 2,000 crore. Though the salary that is given to the doctors when their service is extended is minimal, it can also add to the revenue of the state, they added.

They also noted that there was no justification in extending the service of the doctors at a time when the government is for stringent measures to tide over the crisis. Even it was decided that the ministers would not take 20 per cent of  their salary until the end of this fiscal. Restrictions have also been imposed on foreign trips of ministers. 

Source: the New Indian Express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/341586/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/20-09-2014#page/4/1

laproscopic Sterlisation: Docs denied medico-legal support

Doctors in the government sector performing laproscopic sterilisation are a worried lot with the government not providing medico-legal support if and when the persons subject to such surgery approach the court. Once the doctors face court cases, they only get support from the Professional Protection Scheme of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and that too only provided to life term members.

Noting that failures can happen in some persons who undergo laproscopic sterlisation, the doctors said that they were not getting the due support in most of the cases. IMA state secretary Dr A V Jayakrishnan said ''The doctors now perform laproscopic sterlisation at their own risk. They face mental trauma and physical strain when fighting the case individually at a time the sterilisation is being done as part of a national programme,'' he said.

Moreover, people file cases even after signing the approval letter that clearly states that they would avail the insurance amount as part of the national programme if there is a failure. Most of the people are said to file cases if they get a girl child after the sterlisation failure. If its a boy child, no cases are generally filed, the doctors said. Another thing pointed out is that the people who undergo sterilisation are asked to approach the doctor in case of any failure. But in most cases, they do not turn up but only approach the court.

Stating that fighting cases without any support was difficult most of the time, Dr Maya of the Women and Child Hospital, Thycaud, said '' it is really hard for fighting the case all alone. The only support that we get is from the IMA and that too only if a doctor is a life term member.''

source: The New Indian express

http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/326824/The-New-Indian-Express-Thiruvananthapuram/26-08-2014#page/6/1