Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 12: Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today called for giving a level-playing field to the alternative system of medicines and integrating it effectively into the State’s public health services.
“I hope you will put your heads together and strategise to again make homoeopathy a viable and trusted health care option in the country,” Sayeed said while addressing the delegates at the Global Conference on Unani Medicine here.
Asking the delegates to help homoeopathy reclaim its position in the country’s healthcare system, the Chief Minister said the alternate system of medicine is going through a transitional phase.
He said that research being done in the field will help dispel many fears and doubts that have emerged about its efficacy.
Sayeed called for giving space to Unani medicine so that it gets a level-playing field and integrates effectively into the State’s public health services.
“I hope the Health Minister shows us the way in facilitating revival of homoeopathy so that it regains the stature it enjoyed in old times when it had panacea to our ills,” he added.
The two-day conference, which has attracted a large number of delegates from all over the world including the US, the UK, Germany, Sri Lanka and UAE, was earlier scheduled last year but could not be held due to floods in the State.
Referring to the predilection of people for taking medicines for “instant results” in a fast-moving world, Sayeed pointed out the efficacy of homoeopathy as a time-tested system which still has a wide acceptance among masses in our country.
“The Health Department will have to travel an extra mile to promote Unani medicine in times when its mainstream counterparts like allopathy are making huge strides and gaining popularity,” he said.
Describing J&K as a rich repository of medicinal plants, the Chief Minister said the state can significantly contribute to ever-expanding herbal medicinal market.
“India, being the centre of alternate medicine and global leader in Unani medicine, holds a huge potential in this sector,” he added.
Highlighting J&K’s unique cultural heritage and diversity, Sayeed said the State can position itself as an ideal destination in herbal tourism.
“I take this opportunity to advise the department to work towards setting up herbal gardens and specialised therapy units at key tourist destinations across the state,” he said.
He asked the Tourism and ISM Departments to work in tandem to attract herbal tourists.
Referring to the surge in global trade in herbal supplements and remedies which has grown to USD 93 billion this year, the Chief Minister said a large section of population still relies on age-old traditional approach of homeopathy that uses herbal supplements for healthy living and general wellbeing.
Minister for Health and Medical Education Ch Lal Singh, MoS Health Asiea Naqash, Advisor, Ministry of AYUSH, GoI, Dr. Rais-ur-Rehman, Commissioner / Secretary, Health & Medical Education, Dr. M. K. Bhandari, Director General, ISM, Dr. Abdul Kabir and President World Unani Foundation, Mohsin Dehlvi were present on the occasion.
A number of departments and universities including Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine, Aligarh Muslim University, National Institute of Unani Medicine, Jamia Hamdard University besides Kashmir University are among others who are participating in the Conference.
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