THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as protest brews among allopathy doctors against a government order (GO) allowing ‘observership’ for students in Ayurveda and Homoeopathy streams in certain modern medical procedures, the Ayurvedic Medical Association of India feels the dissent from their counterparts is unwarranted. According to the AMAI, the GO is based on the stipulation of the Central Council (minimum standards of education in Indian medicine) Regulations 2012 and subsequent orders from the Kerala High Court.
“We can’t figure out why the Indian Medical Association and the Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association are against this. Such a plan was there from 1984 and even the Central Council of Indian Medicine says that students pursuing Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) and Bachelor of Homoeopathic Medical and Surgery (BHMS) should have a knowledge in modern medicine,” said Dr Sadath Dinakar, general secretary, AMAI. He said the GO released by the Health Department in June has clearly stated that it was following a number of requests from BAMS and BHMS students that a decision to grant ‘observership’ at hospitals that come under the Directorate of Health Services has been taken. The ‘observership’ is meant for procedures, including postmortem, surgery and gynaecology.
Meanwhile, an HC order in August 2016 stated arguments of the IMA that allows BAMS and BHMS students to enter labour room might result in the spread of diseases and the patients’ privacy might get compromised. It also pointed at the need for authorities to look into the matter while issuing the notification. The court further observes that ‘acquiring training in a particular science may be helpful for the Ayurvedic and Homeopathic Doctors to practice in their field.’ “What the AMAI says is that we were making an unwanted fuss on the GO. The authorities concerned were trying to create second-grade doctors and are playing with the life of patients,” said N Sulphi, state secretary, IMA.