The government has brought out a notification that will allow Ayurveda doctors to be trained and legally allowed to perform a variety of general surgical, ENT, ophthalmology, ortho and dental procedures.
The president of the Central Council of Indian Medicine told that these kinds of surgeries have been going on in Ayurveda institutes and hospitals for over 25 years and the notification was just to clarify that it is made 'legal' now, reported The Times Of India.
The notification dated November 19 has a list of procedures that would be included in the PG training of Ayurveda doctors by amending the Indian Medicine Central Council (Post Graduate Ayurveda Education) Regulations, 2016.
The amendment was made with the sanction of the central government.
The students and post-graduate scholars of the Shalya tantra (general surgery) and Shalakya tantra (surgeries of the ear, nose, throat, head and eye) will get practical training on how to perform various surgical procedures independently.
Amputation of gangrene, skin grafting, laparotomy (opening up of the abdomen) and many other advanced gastrointestinal surgeries are included in the general surgical procedures.
Under the Shalakya tantra, they will be trained to perform fairly advanced ophthalmic surgeries such as iris prolapse surgery, squint surgery, cataract surgeries of all kinds.
"Postgraduate courses in surgery, ENT and ophthalmology have been there in Ayurveda since 20-25 years and we have always had surgical OPDs... No one had looked into the legality of what has been happening for decades. So, after consultation with the ministry and Niti Aayog, it was decided to put it down in writing to make it clear that what is already being done is legal," explained Dr Jayant Deopujari, the president of Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM).
Dr P Raghu Ram who is the president of the Association of Surgeons said, "General surgery is a part and parcel of modern medical science which cannot be mainstreamed with Ayurveda. Introducing training modules to the postgraduate curriculum of ayurvedic studies leading to titles such as MS (Ayurved) can potentially disrupt and jeopardise the basic standards of care and safety of patients."
Also Read: From Lack Of Beds To Poor Contact Tracing, House Panel Assesses Govt's Response To Pandemic