'Ayurvedic doctors trained to perform surgeries, no term like Mixopathy': Ayush Min Naik

Union Ayush Minister Shripad Naik on Wednesday dismissed the concept of 'Mixopathy' as claimed by a section of allopathic doctors and insisted that ayurvedic practitioners are also trained to perform surgeries. The idea of the government behind allowing ayurvedic practitioners to perform medical surgeries is aimed at supporting the allopathic practice, said Naik shortly before his discharge from the Goa Medical College and Hospital, where he was undergoing treatment after an accident.

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Raising question on the Indian Medical Association (IMA) opposing the Centre's decision to allow ayurvedic doctors to perform surgeries, Naik said there is no term like 'Mixopathy'.

"We are introducing an Indian system of medicine to support the practice of allopathy, it is not a competition as both the medical practices would compliment each other," Naik told PTI.

He added that ayurvedic doctors are educated at par with allopathic practitioners and they are even trained to perform surgeries.

"After completing their studies, the ayurvedic doctors undergo internship for one year. They are trained surgeons," he told PTI.

Naik added that since centuries the Indian system of medicine has been applied by the people of the country and its formula has not changed since then. Recently, in some parts of the country, Allopathic doctors protested against the Centre's decision to allow ayurvedic physicians to perform certain types of surgeries.

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On January 24, Shripad Naik tweeted after getting discharged from Goa Medical Hospital and thanked everyone for their support.

Earlier on January 11, Shripad Naik and his wife Vijaya met with a road accident near Karnataka's Ankola district while travelling from Yellapur to Gokarna in Karnataka. While the Minister survived the accident and has now completed his treatment for the injuries sustained while his wife had succumbed to her injuries. 

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IMA Protests Against Centre Allowing Ayurvedic Doctors To Perform Surgeries

On December 11, at least 2,000 doctors and healthcare professionals declared a strike across the country in protest against the Centre’s notification allowing Ayurvedic doctors to perform certain surgeries. On the Indian Medical Association’s (IMA's) call, doctors from both private and government sectors demonstrated on roads in all districts of the country against the notification, issued by the Central Council of Indian Medicine under the Ministry of Ayush. Medical students staged protests in their colleges.

Speaking on the strike called by the doctor’s demanding withdrawal of the notification, Dr Rajan Sharma, IMA President said the entire medical fraternity is “shocked and aghast with this foul play in the country.”

READ | 'Shocked' IMA Protests Against Centre Allowing Ayurvedic Doctors To Perform Surgeries

(With PTI Inputs)