Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 17: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha along with Union Minister of AYUSH, and Ports, Shipping, Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal today inaugurated the first batch of BUMS at Government Unani Medical College Ganderbal.
Congratulating the students and faculty members of the first batch of Bachelor in Unani Medicine and Surgery (BUMS) of Government Unani Medical College through virtual mode, the Lt Governor wished for their bright future.
“Out of 60 students, 23 are girls. It is a matter of pride for us and I extend my best wishes to all the young boys and girls in their career. The 60-bed hospital has seven departments – Medicine, Surgery, ENT, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Dermatology, and Treatment by Non-medicinal lifestyle”, he added.
Lauding the efforts of the concerned officers and executing agency for arranging the comprehensive health facility at a very low cost, the Lt Governor said the Ganderbal Unani Medical College and Hospital will provide basic health services to the population of other districts as well.
Union AYUSH Minister, Sh Sarbananda Sonowal said that with the starting of the first BUMS course, Government Unani Medical College will help promote indigenous systems of medicine in J&K, and also act as a tertiary care health facility for the UT. He further said that AYUSH Ministry is determined to provide basic healthcare services to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Lt Governor said that the first Unani Medical College was started in Jammu and Kashmir in 1962 but due to some reasons, it was closed down in 1967.
Terming the Unani Medical College as the first Government Unani College of modern times, the Lt Governor said that like many projects, this college too was conceived 10 years back but only in the last two years has it been completed with a focused work. “This symbolizes our resolve to build a strong infrastructure in healthcare sector”, he added.
The Lt Governor expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for liberal funding for the creation of infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said that the Ministry of AYUSH, under the guidance of the PM, has done unprecedented work in indigenous systems of medicine, research and healthcare. He congratulated the Hon’ble Minister of AYUSH for the way the AYUSH has played an important role in the fight against Corona.
Speaking on the discussion breaking out among the medical experts on how the integration of traditional and modern health systems can be done, and how to increase the immunity of people, their immune system with indigenous medical methods, the Lt Governor said that he himself was monitoring the situation and saw firsthand how all the systems of indigenous medical system viz Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani worked together with the mission of human service during the period of immense pressure on medical system during the Corona pandemic.
The Lt Governor said that because of the vitality of indigenous medical system in preventing and treating many diseases, today these indigenous systems are being included in the form of scientific medicinal system in the country and abroad.
The Lt Governor said that efforts are afoot for promoting Ayurveda system in J&K. AYUSH Health and Wellness Centers are being set up at different places across the UT by the Ministry of AYUSH. “There are many areas in the villages where people have more faith in the indigenous medical system and we are constantly trying to provide all its resources to them”, he added.
Lauding the hard work of doctors, health workers, and other services, the Lt Governor said we have ensured that during the second wave in Jammu and Kashmir, no one faced any problem of oxygen beds. “In August last year, the oxygen generation capacity in all our hospitals was only 15,000 LPM, which has been increased to 70,000 LPM within 8 months and will be increased to 90,000 LPM by the last week of September. Like Corona management, the UT is also leading in the whole country in vaccination”, he added.
Vivek Bhardwaj, Additional Chief Secretary in his address highlighted the importance of Unani System of Medicine, and underscored the increasing relevance of AYUSH due to its efficacy in the changing scenario.
Dr Mohan Singh, Director AYUSH read the welcome address while Prof (Dr) Sami Rashid, Principal Government Unani Medical College gave the Vote of Thanks.
Those present at the inauguration ceremony included Pramod Kumar Pathak, Special Secretary AYUSH, GoI; Ms Kritika Jyotsana, Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal; Dr Asim Ali Khan, Director General CCRUM; Prof (Dr) Samia Rashid, Pricncipal Govt Unani College Ganderbal.
Nuzhat Ishfaq, DDC Chairperson, Ganderbal, DDC members, BDC members, PRI representatives, prominent citizens, faculty, and students of Govt Unani Medical College were also present on the occasion.
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