IMA-called strike severely hits OPD operations in Bihar hospitals

Patna, Dec 11 : The one-day strike called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) severely affected patients across all government hospitals in Bihar on Friday.
The IMA is protesting against the Centre’s move to allow post graduate practitioners of Ayurveda to be trained for performing surgical procedures.
The Narendra Modi government notified specific surgical procedures for post graduate students of Ayurveda on November 19.
The doctors at Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) in Patna shut the OPD for the day to register their protest.
“The strike in not meant to harass patients. Our Covid and emergency wards are functional in NMCH. The Centre believes that medical science (MBBS) has no value. Hence it is merging Ayurvedic doctors with MBBS despite that fact that the study of both the courses is completely different from each other,” said Dr Ajay Kumar of NMCH and member of IMA.
“We have already suggested to the Centre to merge Ayurvedic colleges with medical colleges where the MBBS course is taught. It will help the scientific study of Ayurveda also,” Kumar said.