AYUSH doctors can be employed but cannot assist surgery - Says IMA

PUNE: The ever-present fight of 2014 between the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) doctors has taken a different turn.

IMA, which always stressed that AYUSH doctors should not be hired by hospitals and had also appealed to major hospitals to shun BAMS and BHMS doctors, has now changed its tune.

A statement from IMA, which will be officially announced on February 8 in

Mumbai, says, "AYUSH doctors can be employed but should not be included in any kind of clinical practices, surgeries and cannot prescribe any kind of medicines. They can only assist."

State IMA chief Dr.T.C.Rathod said, "Our initial stand on AYUSH was being misused by certain politicians to create a rift between both parties. We will be having a statewide meeting of all the branches on February 8, where it will be officially revealed that AYUSH doctors can be employed but not be indulged in any kind of clinical or non-clinical practice."

Rathod also said that a year-long course in pharmacology suggested by former deputy CM Ajit Pawar has gone against AYUSH doctors. "It promotes cross-pathy which already has been denied by the Supreme Court. And AYUSH doctors cannot practise allopathy as they don't have the right to do so," Rathod said.

Dr Arun Halbe, president, IMA Pune branch, said, "A provision mentions that Ayurveda doctors are allowed to use 52 drugs in case of extreme emergencies but the same does not prevail for homoeopathy and naturopathy. The pharmacology course was suggested for the benefit of politicians, as most of them or their relatives are running over 40 homeopathy colleges in the state which are falling short of students."

"The war between AYUSH and allopathy doctors has reached the high court which is giving way to further tiffs. To help us all work together and in peace, we said that any homoeopathy doctor practising allopathy will face cancellation of his licence and registration," said Dr.Ramjee Singh, President, Central Council of Homeopathy of India.

"We have also communicated our anger against the suggestion of the pharmacology course to CM Devendra Fadnavis ," he added.

Singh said Ajit Pawar had great influence over medical colleges, "One of his cousins was a member of our council some years ago but we will not give in to such personal favours and we are stronger than a person who is no more in power," he said.

Bomi Bhote, CEO, Ruby Hall Clinic said, "This is a welcome move as many BAMS and BHMS doctors, who were worried about losing their jobs, can now rest easy. As a hospital, we get more assistants, too. It's a win-win situation."

Dr Sunil Rao, GM, Columbia Asia, said, "BAMS and BHMS doctors with us were never involved in surgical procedures but there are some hospitals where it is a practice which will now come to an end."

Our initial stand on AYUSH was being misused by certain politicians to create a rift. We will be having a statewide meeting of all the branches on February 8 said DR.T.C.RATHOD, STATE CHIEF, IMA