Unani Medical College coming up in Kashmir

SYED ALI SAFVI

SRINAGAR, Sep 30: Stating that central government will extend all possible help to improve the health infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir, Union Minister of health and family welfare, Ghulam Nabi Azad, today announced to set up state-of-art Unani Medical College in Kashmir valley soon to promote traditional system of medicine in the state.

Azad was speaking at a function after inaugurating four-day first of its kind AROGYA mela, a comprehensive health fair on Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani Siddha and Homeopathy at Kashmir Haat exhibition ground here. The mela is aimed at promoting traditional Indian medicine system, including Ayurveda, Unani and Homeopathy in the state.

Earlier, the union health minister and chief minister, Omar Abdullah, who left early to attend district development board meetings at SKICC, inspected the stalls of ISM, AYUSH, FICCI, Handicrafts and Information Department.

Azad said that he would be visiting Jammu region soon and hinted at setting up an Ayurvedic College in Jammu also.

Presently, J&K has three privately owned unani medical colleges, and none is owned by the public sector. The state has one Ayurvedic Hospital at Jammu, one Unani Hospital at Srinagar and 439 ISM dispensaries spread across the state.

“I am told that unani medicine is mostly used in Kashmir valley, while Jammuites use Ayurvedic medicine,” he said. “The health ministry has, therefore, decided to establish a unani medical college in Kashmir and Ayurvedic medical college in Jammu.”

Maintaining that unani system of medicine has wide acceptability in the valley, Azad said that his ministry would be glad to finance nursing institutes in the Ayush system.

Azad also announced the launch of national campaign on unani medicines for skin disorders “as the unani system has proven effective treatment for a range of skin disorders”.

“Our aim is to take this system of medicine to the masses,” he said. “In India, 60 per cent of population relies on unani medical system, and only 40 per cent use Allopathic medicine.”

He said that for the first time a national mission on medicinal plants has been approved at an outlay of Rs 630 crore for the 11th plan period.

Utilisation of herbal drugs has been in vogue in Kashmir since early times. The medicinal plants found in Kashmir include Tethwan, Kuth, Bunafsha, Virkum, Pyrethrum, Jogi Badshah, Hund, etc.

“The mission will address the entire gamut of issues facing the raw material sector of Ayush starting with the cultivation over 80000 hectares to setting up seed centres, nurseries, medicinal plants processing facilities, post harvest management, testing for quality, goods collection and agriculture practices to provide marketing support,” he said.

Azad advised the people especially of Kandi belts to opt for cultivation of medicinal plants.

The central government has increased the budget of department of Ayush over the years and in the 11th Five Year plan, it is fixed at Rs 4000 crore.

“We have a fairly large infrastructure under department of Ayush. There are about seven lakh registered practitioners, 3000 hospitals, 21000 dispensaries and over 450 UG/PG teaching colleges with an admission capacity of nearly 30000 students,” Azad said.

He said that in order to take the benefits arising out of these to the people at their doorsteps, steps have been taken to mainstream Ayush in the health care delivery set up of the country under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). The road map includes posting an Ayush doctor in every PHC/CHC, he said.

“Government of India (GoI) has recently sanctioned a modified scheme for mainstream Ayush under NRHM at a cost of Rs 650 crore. Over 7000 doctors have been appointed on contract and Ayush facilities have been created in 203 district hospitals, 1798 PHCs and 2350 CHCs,” he said.

Azad said that under mainstreaming of Ayush under NRHM in Jammu and Kashmir an allocation of Rs 12.55 crore have been approved during 2009-10.

So far, Ayush facilities have been placed in 319 PHCs, he said, adding that during the current year it will be taken up in 56 PHCs, 85 CHCs and 14 DHs.

Earlier, students of Morarji Desai National Institute New Delhi put on an incredible yoga demonstration that left the audience spellbound.

Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand, Minister for Health, Sham Lal Sharma, Minister for Medical Education, RS Chib, who were the guests of honour, also spoke on the occasion.

Earlier, Azad, along with chief minister, Omar Abdullah, who left early to attend district board meetings, inspected the stalls.

Apart from free diagnostic service, consultation and distribution of medicines, the fair will also have live demonstration of yoga lectures on the treatment of disease.

Deputy Secretary General of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) Rajan Kohli said that the event is aimed at generating awareness on the alternative methods of treatment.

“FICCI is collaborating with department of Ayush to take the traditional system of medicine to the masses so that they can benefit from it,” he said.

The event provides an opportunity to manufactures of Ayurvedic and Homoeopathic medicines to showcase their products. Over 25 stalls have been set up by department of Ayush, Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine, Central Council for Research for Ayurveda and Siddha, Home Remedies, and Natioanl Institute of Unani Medicine.

Visitors can also avail free diagnostic and treatment facilities at the Ayurvedic, Unani and Homeopathy clinics that have been put up at the venue.

The exhibition has jointly been organized by the Department of AYUSH, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, FICCI and the Department of Indian System of Medicines, Jammu and Kashmir.