Srinagar: World Unani Day was commemorated during a function organised at SKICC here.
The day marks the birthday of Unani scholar and social reformer Hakim Ajmal Khan. The main function was organised by the Directorate of Ayush, at SKICC. Bhupinder Kumar, Secretary to the Government Health & Medical Education was the Chief Guest of the event. Dr Masood Tanveer, Principal Govt Unani Medical College Kashmir.
Director Health services Kashmir Dr Mushtaq Ahmed Rather participated as Guest of Honour and special guests respectively.
The theme of this Year’s World Unani Day is “Unani Medicine for Public Health”. Speaking on the occasion, Bhupinder Kumar said that Unani is perceived as one of the most ancient and well documented system of medicine equally relevant in modern times.
“Its holistic approach whether for healthy individuals or for diseased ones remains unparalleled. Prevention of disease and promotion of health is the main aim of Unani,” he said.
He appreciated the work done by the Directorate of Ayush J&K for the last three years, particularly the efforts in tackling the COVID-19 Pandemic. He hoped that the Unani with divine healing properties can become a world leader in providing alternate health care to the people. He said that Hakim Ajmal Khan was the pioneer of Unani Medicine in modern India, as well as a freedom fighter and an associate of Mahatma Gandhi in the Indian independence movement. “He was a populist and a Nationalist, and fought hard on behalf of India’s indigenous systems of traditional healing, both Ayurveda as well as his own tradition of Unani Tibb, against the British policy of suppressing indigenous healing systems in favor of Western medicine,” he said.
Director AYUSH, J&K Dr Mohan Singh highlighted the objectives of World Unani Day. “This day is celebrated with an attempt to further promote Unani into mainstream and focus on strengths of Unani and its unique treatment principles,” he said.
He stressed on reducing the burden of disease and related morbidity and mortality by utilising the potential of Unani and exploring the potential of Unani to contribute towards National health policy and National Health programmes.
“Unani and Ayurveda should work together like a pair of eyes, and to fulfill this dream he founded the Ayurveda and Unani Tibbiya College in Karol Bagh, Delhi. His immense contributions as a renowned physician earned him the title of Massiha-e-Hind (The Healer of India) ,” he said.
He informed that 60 AYUSH Health centres have been established by upgrading the existing Ayush Dispensaries for the last one year wherein comprehensive AYUSH health care is being provided to the patients. He said that more than 50 Kanals of land has been identified and formally transferred to the Health & Medical Education Department (Directorate of Ayush) for development of Ayush infrastructure.
He further added that four 50 bedded AYUSH Integrated Hospitals are being established at Kathua, Kishtwar, Kulgam and Kupwara and three more to be established at Samba, Anantnag and Bandipora which are in pipeline.
Dr Mushtaq Ahmad Parray, District Nodal officer Ayush, Pulwama, gave keynote address on the theme “Unani Medicine in Public Health.”
