IMA Strike on Ayurvedic Surgery Not in Line With Medical Beliefs

The Indian Medical Association has condemned the Central Council of Indian Medicine’s notification giving legal authorization to post-graduate doctors of Ayurveda in two specific disciplines to perform dental procedures and surgeries in general surgery, orthopedics, ophthalmology, and ENT, after formal training.

In a statement here, IMA said that it will resist this ‘retrograde step of mixing the systems’ at all costs and demanded that the order be withdrawn. Regarding this IMA has threatened to withdraw all non-essential and non-Covid services on December 11.

Ranjit Puranik addresses a letter to Allopathic Practitioners of India on IMA’s protest which is held on December 11.

“ Dear Allopathic Practitioners of India

Tomorrow will be a Black Day in independent India when IMA, your Association, will protest in some manner a ‘right to practice’ a traditional skill at hands of Ayurved Physicians, a skillset gifted to mankind from India. IMA on your behalf has called upon all Non-Covid19 Allopathic Doctors to cease clinical practice for the day in protest of the regularisation of surgical techniques rooted in Ayurved practice. It’s indeed a Black Day when the 'original science' of our country is set to be discarded by IMA to allow for an altered science developed with Indian wisdom at the core.

It’s as objectionable as an Indian soldier’s lathi-charge on an Indian freedom fighter at the whim of a foreign whip.

Why? In all readings of IMA circulars - competence, experience, training, rigor in teaching and core curriculum of Ayurved surgeons have not been challenged, it is admitted to be right there at an acceptable threshold. The use of auxiliary services of anesthesia, other good practices of safe OT protocol, maybe even infection control or need for an on-call Allopathic colleague whilst Ayurved surgery, is quoted to be ‘borrowing’ ‘poaching’ to insinuate piracy and allege incompetence at hands of Ayurved surgeons.

Prof Pawankumar Godatwar and his colleague Vd. Rahul Sherkhane In their paper titled - Sushruta - The Father of Surgery, have vividly placed on record the ancient treatise Shushrut Samhita (circa 7 BC) where Acharya Shushtrut (acclaimed as the father of modern surgery globally) has described surgical techniques and tools which are in use today, probably even Patented by MNCs. Mostly, GoI spends millions of $ on importing such Acharya Shushrut designed medical devices. Such is the foolish objection of IMA to allowing for surgery in Ayurved in allegiance to a calling that would not know the difference between Yogurt & Dahi, precisely, such is the ridiculous standpoint of protest !!?

Then Why? Is it Clinic Commerce, simple protection of medical commerce for the Allopathic ilk, election year at IMA (imagine IMA leaders ask you to protest as a subscription to their candidature, nothing more...)?  I can understand Clinic Commerce, some of us Ayurved manufacturing industry have to bear the brunt of being sidelined in National Health Program every day to allow for Allopathic medicines a bare "fraud on the nation”. Damning side effects, no real cure to ailment but postponement in hope that body copes - which actually makes the disease progress and Cure elusive - even for Ayurved. All this on ingestion of bad chemicals in name of Medicine sidelining systemic cure of ailment ala Ayurved and at hands of Ayurved Physicians with or without Ayurved medicines.

You too could learn a bit of the Ayurved Tridosh code, it’s your culture too, but I guess IMA prevails in what you should learn, Rx, and what of yourself you should discard, all to guarantee your commerce sustains. It’s a shame, that you Doctor’s - cream of Indian intellect choose not to delve further into discovery in your own culture to serve the patient, the core of your being, existence, well being, satisfaction, duty, and wealth. Anyways that’s a separate heartbeat, I would reserve for a later appeal. Our next friction is 'integrative medicine' education.

IMA tomorrow will ask you to protest, please refuse, not cause I say so .. demand details of what surgeries Ayurved has been allowed, understand the wisdom reposed in an ancient text, verify the competence, analyze the course curriculum, training and then draw your conclusions. Let yourself prevail on your own action, stop being a blind IMA member. If you can, speak with a colleague Ayurved surgeon, understand his tenure of excellence, service to society, his clinic commerce (highly affordable vis a vis a modern corporate paradigm), examine his OT, and then draw your conclusions. Trust me, you will learn something of the scriptures, gain from its roll out in hands of a skilled Ayurved surgeon, and be a better Doctor. Please ape, introduce and refine any and every Pearl of wisdom you see in this interview of your own medical heritage - we in Ayurved have open windows, minds and fertile agility to remain relevant throughout the ages, which make us ageless superlatives. “Shasvat” in every way, in English this would mean - as true as the Moon & the Sun.

Let’s serve the citizens sans dogmas that politicians within our midst keep us away from, they would like us to believe the disease is different, ailments are better understood in English, herbs are salad and all intellect must have an MRP. Acknowledge the frustration of not having enough in your education, medicine cabinet to deliver Cure, accept the role of Diet & LifeStyle which do impact chronic diseases, understand plaque & fat accumulation need not need bypasses or stents. Challenge many such set principles of Medico-Corporates which have made you 'salesmen' of their inept protocols to further their commerce. Please come into your own - you are our cream intellect, nations pride as IMA put's it core to National Health Systems in UK, USA and other parts of the world.

Understand it’s all about relearning the human body, its TriDosh code inferring tendencies of the human body to fire wrong, metabolizing a disease profile. In English - Prevention & Promotive health, even to Cure is possible. Medicine is the last resort - Diet & LifeStyle can do wonders, no harm giving 'free of cost' solutions. Again, it’s your own medical heritage, take the effort.

I would have said WiKi it but IMA clones have already labeled your medical heritage ‘unscientific’ and this will keep you further away from the truth, again.

Let IMA know you are not followers blind to their campaign of defamation, misinformation, and willful ignorance. I do not recommend you do anything at all to promote Ayurved, just make an informed choice in your action - call an Ayurved Physician, student, teacher, and better an Ayurved surgeon - make the acquaintance, you will gain. This action in inaction towards IMA pressure is actually a positive step to update yourself on true service to your patient - what can be a better day than tomorrow to make this initiation.

All the health and best wishes to you, irrespective of what you do and where you stand, we will talk again. Our paths are bound to meet, Thank you for reading so far...

( Courtesy - Ranjit Puranik )