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Events & Issues
New
Delhi, 25 November 2022
Traditional Medicines
GLOBAL CENTRE TO GIVE BOOST
By Dr.Oishee Mukherjee
The health infrastructure in the
country is quite poor, with overcrowded hospitals in cities and towns and
non-existent health facilities in many blocks in remote villages. An alternative
source needs to be seriously considered for providing basic healthcare to the
poorer sections. Moreover, it is indeed impossible for around 50 percent of the
population to avail health care in nursing homes as costs of specialised
treatment, specially surgery, is inordinately high and government aided
hospitals are overflowing with patients. Added to this, is the high cost
of allopathic medicines. In such a scenario, it is quite rational to explore
homeopathic and ayurvedic treatments, which the government is rightly encouraging
in all possible ways.
Around 80 percent of the world’s
population is estimated to use traditional medicine. To date, 170 of the 194 World
Health Oganisation (WHO) Member States have reported the use of traditional
medicine, and their governments have asked it to support in creating a body of
reliable evidence and data on traditional medicine practices and products
India has a long history of traditional
medicine and ayurveda is possibly the most representative system. Like
traditional Chinese medicine, ayurveda in India is a life science derived from
experience. It emphasises that human health requires both personalised medicine
and a holistic approach. In recent years, there such treatments are getting quite
popular, and a large section of the population is availing this medium. In
cities also, there are many homeopathic and ayurvedic doctors who are getting
popular with people going to them for treatment. According to some veteran
doctors of ayurveda, many complicated diseases can be cured at a much cheaper
rate than allopathic treatment.
The government has rightly been
giving impetus to the growth of homeopathic and ayurvedic treatments, considering
the cost effectiveness. Many conferences on the subject are being held in
various parts of the country and recently one such conclave was held at IIT
Kharagpur. The lack of hospitals or wellness centres of traditional medicine in
the country was a concern and s a major impediment. Therefore, it is vital that
at least one such centre in all districts of the country be set up.
Importantly, the WHO and the Indian
government has early this year established the WHO Global Centre for
Traditional Medicine at Jamnagar in Gujarat. This global knowledge centre for
traditional medicine, supported by an investment of USD 250 million from the
government, aims to harness the potential of traditional medicine from across
the world, through modern science and technology to improve the health of
people and the planet. The Centre is expected to focus on four main strategic
areas: evidence and learning; data and analytics; sustainability and equity;
and innovation and technology to optimise the contribution of traditional
medicine to global health and sustainable development.
There is no denying that some 40
percent of approved pharmaceutical products in use today derive from natural
substances, highlighting the vital importance of conserving biodiversity and sustainability.
For example, the discovery of aspirin drew on traditional medicine formulations
using the bark of the willow tree, the contraceptive pill was developed from
the roots of wild yam plants and child cancer treatments have been based on the
rosy periwinkle. Nobel-prize winning research on Artemisia for malaria control
started with a review of ancient Chinese medicine texts.
The drugs used are mainly animals,
minerals, and marine drugs. In clinical practice, the drugs used are single or
compound. The properties of the drugs stimulate the functions of specialised
organs, exert the natural activity of medicinal plants, and stimulate the
natural healing power of the body. In addition, Indian herbal therapy has a
very old history. It mainly uses the oil extracted from herbs to remove toxins
from the body and restore the body to a natural balance.
There is a general belief, and not
without justification, that ayurvedic medicine can calm people’s minds and
divide mental energy into three types -- satwa, rajas, and tamas.
The harmony of these three kinds of energy can keep people safe from
interference and disease, activate people’s perception, and make people
happy. Indian doctors believe that human health, is, first and foremost,
the health of the mind, which directly affects the body. For example, music can
make people’s souls enter the void; music meditation can also bring clear
thinking, a healthy body, and harmonious interpersonal relationships.
Based on the priority areas of
national development and the advantages of ayurvedic medicine, the government
has set the following key research areas -- respiratory diseases, gastrointestinal
diseases, geriatric medicine and immunotherapy, metabolic diseases, liver
diseases, and malaria. At present, Indian medical research is carried out from
multiple perspectives, including basic research, literature research, drug
research, and clinical research. For clinical research, the government emphasised
researching traditional medical theories, encouraging researchers to understand
both Indian and Western medicine.
There are currently over 400
research institutions engaged in traditional medicine in India, including the
Indian Ayurveda Scientific Research Centre, the Central Drug Research Institute
(CDRI), and several private research centres and institutions. Added to this,
the government has been supporting different research and development (R&D)
plans related to medicinal plant research. Over the years, the
budget allocation for the Ayush sector witnessed gradual increase,
specially since the 12th and 13th Five-Year Plans.
Keeping in view the need for
imparting cost-effective treatment to the poorer and marginalised sections of
society, it is expected that homeopathic and ayurvedic medicines would come to
the rescue of these people. Moreover, with increase in the incidence of
diseases, there has to be an effort towards curing the patient and not just
giving some relief. In diseases like diabetes, muscular and other types of
pain, skin problems etc. it is believed that traditional medicines may be of
great use. Of course, surgery, wherever necessary must be undertaken.
With the government’s budget for
health care quite low by international standards and somewhat insignificant
compared to the huge population, the focus on homeopathy and ayurveda should be
of great help to people residing in rural and backward regions of the country.
One cannot deny the fact that Indian herbs and plants are the source of many medicines
and this motivated the WHO to set up the Global Centre here.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO
Director-General has said: “For many millions of people around the world,
traditional medicine is the first port of call to treat many diseases,” and “Ensuring
all people have access to safe and effective treatment is an essential part of
WHO’s mission” This new Centre, he added will ‘help to harness the power of
science to strengthen the evidence base for traditional medicine.’ It is
hoped the Centre provides the best healthcare solutions to the world.---INFA
(Copyright, India News & Feature
Alliance)
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