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| “Dream comes true": Dr Siddiqui. | | Union Health Minister inaugurates RRI of Unani medicines | |
Srinagar, July 04:
If you find modern Hakim treating patients with age old Unani prescriptions, do not be surprised. The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is planning to deploy one doctor each from Indian System of Medicines (ISM) that includes Ayurveda and Unani Medicines at every health centre across the country.
And that is not all. Jammu and Kashmir is all set to become a major producer of medicinal plants that shall be used in this system of medicine and benefit from the growing industry that is likely to become a three trillion dollar industry in 2050 and India the major exporter.
The research facility that has been functional since 1980 today started functioning in the new building constructed as a separate facility for research has specialization in treatments to frost bites – a very common problem during chilly winters in Kashmir – besides Vitiligo (White Patches of skin), Eczema and Psoriasis.
The formulation of treatment for these diseases has taken years of research work and patients have already been benefiting from such forms of treatment. The research facility and the associated hospital shall provide the patients a convenient way of finding treatments for their ailments, especially once the hospital specializes in besides helping discover treatments for other ailments as well.
"This is a dream come true," said the Director of the Institute, Dr Siddiqui. "We want to make it a tourist destination by reviving the traditions of Sufis and Saints of Kashmir," he added.
The state- of- the- art research facility connected to World Wide Web, through a well equipped computer lab, also has a nursery to grow medicinal plants for the research purposes.
Earlier Union Health Minister, Anubamani Ramodass, stated at a function at University of Kashmir, organized to formally announce the inauguration of the Regional Research Institute of Unani Medicine, that Unani medical practitioners shall play a major role in extending health services to rural India, while Commerce Minister, Jairam Ramesh announced a package for the development of medicinal plant sector in Kashmir.
Ramodass said that his ministry was planning to integrate the Rural Health Mission Program with ISM that included Ayurveda and Unani medicines and so employ trained doctors in these fields to address the health problems of rural India.
Stating that India was the biggest beneficiary of the Unani system of medicine that came to the subcontinent through Persia from Unan (The Urdu name for Greece), Ramodass appealed the practitioners to validate their degrees and medicines through the research institute.
"Kashmir has the largest number of practitioners of Unani medicine in India and it can serve as a very vital source of tried and tested medicines. All we are asking these practitioners is to validate their degrees through this research institute," Ramodass said while adding that his Ministry had already started working on patents for the medicines developed by the local practitioners who inherited the art from their elders through practice.
At a separate function in Srinagar earlier, Union Commerce Minister, Jairam Ramesh, announced a comprehensive package for the development of special processing zones for medicinal plants and appealed the J&K Government to identify areas for development of these processing zones.
"India exported 800 crores worth of medicinal plant extracts last year, out of which only ten percent were processed. In an industry that is likely to become a three trillion dollar industry in 2050, India will have a major share and Jammu and Kashmir has the potential to boost it," Ramesh said adding that his Ministry will pump in an initial investment of fifteen crore rupees for the development of processing zones in the state.
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