The Central government's controversial decision of allowing Ayurvedic doctors to train and legally perform certain surgeries has been a bitter pill to swallow for many in the healthcare sector. While the Indian Medical Association (IMA) had publicly condemned the move, private hospitals in the city too are reluctant to hire or allow Ayurvedic doctors to perform surgical procedures on their patients.

Based on the notification issued by the government last week, post-graduate students of Ayurveda will now be trained and allowed to perform 58 types of procedures involving general surgery, ophthalmology, ENT (ears, nose and throat), dental and orthopaedic surgery. Earlier this week, IMA slammed the decision and criticised the Central Council of Indian Medicine, the regulatory body for the study and practice of Ayurveda in India, for allowing its practitioners to perform surgeries.