IMA slams Andhra Pradesh order allowing Ayurvedic doctors to perform surgeries

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has strongly opposed a directive by the Andhra Pradesh government permitting postgraduate Ayurvedic doctors to perform 58 surgical procedures. The association termed the move a blunder, warning that integrating Ayurveda with modern medicine could endanger public health.

Hyderabad: The Indian Medical Association (IMA), which represents allopathy doctors countrywide, has launched a scathing attack and protest against a recent directive by the Andhra Pradesh government, allowing postgraduate Ayurvedic doctors to independently perform 58 specific surgical procedures.

Terming the move a huge blunder, the association warned that integrating traditional and modern medicine (Mixopathy) could have catastrophic consequences for public health.

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The government order permits Ayurvedic practitioners specialising in Shalya Tantra (General Surgery) and Shalakya Tantra (ENT/Ophthalmology) to perform complex surgeries, including appendicectomies, hernia repairs, and cataract operations.

The national president of IMA, Dr. Dilip P. Bhanushali in a statement said that the decision will play havoc with the lives of people. The IMA argued that surgical competence requires over a decade of intensive training in human anatomy, physiology, and modern anesthesia.

Surgery is not just about the procedure; it is about managing pre-operative risks and post-operative complications. Allowing practitioners without rigorous modern medical training to handle surgical blades is a compromise on patient safety,” IMA in a press release said.

The IMA has demanded an immediate withdrawal of the order, asserting that while they respect Ayurveda in its pure form, unscientific mixing of medical streams is a regressive step. The association plans to submit a formal memorandum to the Prime Minister and the union Health Minister to intervene to prevent the decision from being implemented.