Srinagar, June 12: Kashmir University, Vice-Chancellor, Prof Riyaz Punjabi on Saturday asserted that it was essential to empower the society with the knowledge of medicines. He called for a coordinated effort in conducting research on different herbs for which Jammu and Kashmir is known the world over.
 “Empowerment of the society with regard to the knowledge of medicines is must. It can go a long way in making people aware about different medicines they take and their value and effects,” he said, addressing delegates and participants at the inaugural function of Public Campaign on Reproductive and Child Health (RCH), Geriatric and Skin Care and Continuing Medical Education (CME) for Unani Medical Practitioners.
 The 3-day training programme, organized by the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM), New Delhi, is being held at the KU. The Regional Research Institute of Unani Medicine (RRIUM) is located at Naseem Bagh campus of the university.
 Prof Punjabi said a couple of decades back he found only Chinese indigenous medicines in the world markets. “But afterwards, I found the Indian indigenous medicines in these markets, especially in Vienna, Paris, and Switzerland. This indicates the advances in these fields which have been acknowledged internationally,” he said, adding, “J&K houses wealth of herbal medicines. All those could be explored provided a coordinated research is conducted on them by the concerned institutions.”
 The campaign and the training programme were inaugurated by S Jalaja, Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Department of AYUSH. “We have to concentrate more on preventive medicine. Ayurvedic or Unani healthcare systems are actually ways of living. They will take you back to nature, and to the concept of a relationship between the body and the mind,” she said, adding that a Unani college would be set up in Srinagar and an Ayurvedic College in Jammu in future.
 The Director, Health Services, Kashmir, Dr M Amin Wani, said the preventive healthcare delivery system in the state was not up to the mark. “Our curative model of healthcare is at par with other countries, but we are yet to come up to the mark in preventive healthcare delivery,” he said, adding, “We are yet to aware people about their dietary requirements. So it is important we concentrate on preventive health and take on board all the concerned agencies, including NGOs, in this endeavour.”
 He said “we need to reach out to the people in the far-flung, neglected and isolated areas to make the healthcare delivery systems more effective.”
 The Director, SKIMS, Dr Abdul Hamid Zargar, said traditional and modern healthcare delivery systems should be complementary to each other and not in competition or collision. “The traditional forms of healthcare were based on wisdom and experience. That wisdom needs to be filtered from the myths and made available to human beings. This will help the Unani or Ayurvedic practitioners to create a niche for themselves. This way we will have a choice in the healthcare systems. And the moment we have choices, we get empowered,” he said.
 The Director, ISM, J&K, Dr Abdul Kabeer Dar, highlighted the achievements and contribution of the ISM doctors in Jammu and Kashmir. “Despite several odds, the ISM doctors are working with zeal and dedication in the state,” he said.
 The DG, CCRUM, Dr Khalid Siddique, gave an overview of the Council and the work it has undertaken so far.
 On the occasion, a book titled Akseer ul Quloob by Muhammad Akbar Arzani, renowned Unani Physician of the region, was also released. A kit of Unani medicines pertaining to RCH, Geriatrics and Skin care was also released as part of the state campaign.
 Dr Muhammad Ishaq, Dy Director, RRIUM, Srinagar, presented the vote of thanks and Abdullah Danish, counsellor, KU, conducted the proceedings.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 12 Jun 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 12 Jun 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 13 Jun 2010 00:00:00 IST