The Indian Medical Association has strongly opposed a recent policy decision by the Andhra Pradesh government that allows postgraduate-trained Ayurvedic doctors to independently perform select surgical procedures. The association has warned that the move could compromise patient safety, weaken surgical training standards, and create legal uncertainty, particularly while the issue remains under review by the Supreme Court. According to the association, surgery cannot be treated as an isolated technical skill.
It argues that safe surgical practice depends on prolonged, standardized education covering anatomy, physiology, anesthesia, perioperative care, and the management of complications. These competencies, the association says, are developed through structured modern medical training pathways regulated by the National Medical Commission and cannot be replicated through limited exposure…
