Overview
The Minister for Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare of Andhra Pradesh, Satya Kumar Yadav, approved a policy allowing trained Ayurvedic doctors to perform surgeries independently. This decision, made on December 23, 2025, has been met with strong opposition from the Andhra Pradesh branch of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), who argue it is misleading, unscientific, and poses a risk to patient safety.
Key Developments
- Ministerial Approval: On December 23, 2025, the Minister approved Ayurvedic doctors who have completed PG courses in surgical studies to perform select surgeries.
- IMA Opposition: The IMA has condemned the move, stating it is against scientific principles and endangers patient safety.
- Training Standards: The IMA argues that surgical procedures require structured, supervised, and extensive training exclusively provided through the MBBS and MS/MCh curricula governed by the National Medical Commission (NMC).
- Legal Status: The issue is currently sub judice before the Supreme Court, with a hearing scheduled for January 8, 2026.
Arguments Against the Policy
The IMA has raised several concerns regarding the decision:
- Inadequate Training: Surgical procedures demand in-depth knowledge of anatomy, physiology, pathology, perioperative critical care, anaesthesia, and complication management, which are standardized and validated only within modern medicine.
- Patient Safety: Deviating from established training standards places patient safety at serious risk.
- Ethical Concerns: Cross-practice without equivalent training and accreditation is neither evidence-based nor ethically justified.
- Legal Implications: Policy decisions made while the matter is sub judice are legally untenable and amount to prejudging a matter under judicial consideration.
IMA's Response
The IMA has taken the following actions:
- Request to Withdraw: The IMA has requested the Minister to withdraw the statements and policy commitments.
- Legal Remedies: If the issue is not addressed, the IMA will pursue appropriate democratic and legal remedies at the State and national levels.
Exam Relevance
This issue is relevant to the UPSC syllabus under GS2 (Health, Government Policies) and GS1 (Indian Culture). It raises important questions about the integration of traditional medicine with modern healthcare practices, the regulation of medical education, and the ethical considerations in healthcare policy.
Potential Exam Questions
- Discuss the challenges and opportunities in integrating traditional medicine with modern healthcare in India.
- Evaluate the role of regulatory bodies like the National Medical Commission (NMC) in ensuring quality and safety in medical education and practice.
- Analyze the ethical and legal implications of allowing practitioners of traditional medicine to perform surgical procedures.