India: Doctors in Jharkhand join IMA's protest call

Ranchi, Dec 11 (PTI) Scores of doctors in Jharkhand joined the protest call of the IMA on Friday against the Centre's move allowing post-graduate practitioners of Ayurveda to be trained to perform surgical procedures.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) had given the nationwide call for withdrawal of non-essential and non-COVID services on Friday in protest against the notification by the Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM), stating that it will lead to "mixopathy" and demanding withdrawal of the notification.

Secretary of the Indian Medical Association, Jharkhand unit, Dr Pradeep Singh claimed that the strike called by IMA against "Mixopath" was a complete success in the state.

Dr Waghmare Prasad Krishna, Additional Director of Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, the largest government hospital in the state, told PTI that services of COVID ward and emergency ward in RIMS continued smoothly while OPD services were disrupted.

Dr Waghmare said that junior doctors, senior residents and interns of the state were involved in the strike, while assistant professor, associate professor and professor came to their work and were not involved in the strike.

Dr Shambhunath Prasad, of the IMA Jharkhand unit claimed that OPD service of government and private hospitals were affected due to the strike.