The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has opposed the Centre on mixing medical education with Ayurveda, homeopathy, yoga and Unani. “The medical fraternity of our country is highly perturbed by the recent policy changes regarding medical education practice, research, and administration. The radical changes that are being institutionalised will have a series of impacts on the health of our people,” the IMA stated.
The reaction of the IMA has come after the Niti Aayog officially formed four committees to integrate all systems of medicine. These committees are in the area of medical education, clinical practice, public health, medical research and administration.
“The IMA opposes the mixing of the systems of medicine. IMA warns the people that millions of lives will be lost before any rectification can be made. IMA stands for purity of systems of modern medicine as well as AYUSH. It is not in the interest of traditional systems either to lose their identity and further development,” the medical body added further in its statement.
According to IMA president Dr Rajan Sharma, “The IMA is concerned about the developments and has taken upon itself the campaign to sensitize people on the dangers of shifting to an integrative system of medicine.”