Rohit Shishodia  
The non-responsive behavior of the government over Indian Medical Association’s demand for withdrawal of the Central Council of Indian Medicine's notification, that allows Ayurveda practitioners to do surgeries, has not gone down well with the national doctors’ body.

The IMA has decided to observe a pan-India Relay Hunger Strike from February 1, 2021, that will continue till February 14, 2021.

“IMA members and modern medicine doctors across the country will start a relay hunger strike. Doctors will stay on relay hunger strike from February 1, 2021, till February 14, 2021. Local branches will have hunger strike centers. It is an effort on the Gandhian principle to invoke satyagraha and unify mental vibration and unify it as an effective force in the war of restoring the purity of modern medical profession,” reads a letter issued by IMA president, Dr JA Jaylal, and Dr Jayesh Lele, Hon. Secretary General.

“IMA members will be on relay hunger strike at more than 50 places across the country. IMA National President and Secretary General will visit all states through their vibrant tour across the country. All IMA leaders will visit various IMA branches to enhance the public safety movement,” reads the letter.

“Women doctors will be on a hunger strike all across the nation on February 7, 2021. All specialty associations across the country will join the strike through the Federation of Medical Associations under aegis of IMA. Dental Association also shall join this national movement. Modern medical allied health organisations are joining IMA during this relay hunger strike,” said the IMA.

“As we are concerned about the uninterrupted health care delivery and also the safety of the common man, all our hospitals will function normally. On the last day of the fasting, IMA will launch Capital Challo movements in each state capital,” the letter reads.

IMA said that it will release the awareness posters and banners across the country for people of the country. IMA members shall update their Members of Parliament and MLAs and respective state governments regarding the national movement and hunger strike for the cause.

IMA said that it shall apprise various associations from different countries about this unscientific notification. The global voice of modern medicine shall echo the feelings of Indian Medical Association and it’s members.

IMA has also instructed its Medical Students’ Network (MSN), Junior Doctors’ Network (JDN), IMA Womens’ Wing, IMA Hospital Board, In-service Doctors, Medical Colleges to participate and construct this massive national movement.

As per the IMA, Indian healthcare and Indian doctors have earned the peak positions in the world healthcare scenario. Health of the nation depends on the health of health care systems.

Though there are many systems of medicine, Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani etc., modern medicine has evolved as a system of medicine adopted and used by almost 96% of Indian population based on sustained research and constant upgradation.

The association welcomes and proposes that all our traditional systems should strive hard and make themselves more people centered, evidence based, affordable and accessible, says the letter.

“Now there is shift in the government policy; instead of promoting all the systems, a new method of Mixopathy, in which systems which are mutually unrelated in principles and mode of operandi are integrated together as a one system as evidenced in the National education policy 2020 , CCIM notification dated November 20, 2020, and the committees constituted by Niti Aayog for this purpose,” said the IMA.

IMA said that it acknowledges that Indian population needs different systems of medicine for different conditions of diseases and for promoting wellness.

“However, we strongly oppose the proposal to make single doctor practicing all systems together as it will hamper quality and safety as he will lack in-depth knowledge on the particular system of medicine,” added the association.