Mixed response for doctors’ stir in Mysuru region

The strike call given by Indian Medical Association (IMA), evoked mixed response in Mysuru region, on Friday.

The government hospitals in Mysuru district, including K R Hospital, functioned normally and the doctors attended the duty by wearing a black band, as a mark of protest. The out patient departments at private hospitals were not affected.

The office-bearers of the association staged a protest in front of the IMA building and raised slogans against the Union government.

The doctors criticised the government’s decision of giving permission for the Ayurveda doctors to conduct surgeries, as unscientific. Those who have completed MBBS courses are not allowed to perform surgeries. They need to complete ‘master of surgery’ degree to be eligible to perform surgery. Even then, they are not allowed to perform all surgeries. But, the Centre has taken an unscientific decision to give permission to the Ayurveda doctors to conduct surgeries, they
said.

Each form of medical science has a uniqueness of its own. It should not be merged. Those treating the patients through allopathy method should be called doctors, following Ayurveda method as practitioners and Unani as Hakeem, they stressed.
As the IMA had called for the strike in a hurry, the government doctors were not able to participate totally in the strike, said a doctor.

As per the norms, the government should be informed in writing about the protest 15 days in advance. Otherwise, the government has all the rights to take action against the doctors. Hence, the government doctors could not participate totally, he explained.

K R Hospital Resident doctor Dr Rajesh said, “The doctors attended duty wearing black band. There will not be any problem for the in patient and out patients”.

The outpatient departments of most of the private hospitals functioned normally. However, the number of patients to the hospitals were less on Friday.