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