Friday, September 18, 2015

AYUSH by Allopath

Let us make AYUSH graceful with the grace of allopathic doctors
September 17,2015, 02.09 PM IST | | The Hans India

Promoting ISM (AYUSH) especially to our present generation, the Government needs to develop innovative approaches and methods. Just by self boasting or making incredible promises, credence of ISM cannot be established. Only with proven science and merit, hereafter, the ISM can survive and sustain.

When we make such statement, naturally the question will be asked, then how the ISM has survived all through these years?

The answer is simple that it is blind faith and hope born out of hopelessness only has made many people to try ISM.

Most people who are choosing AYUSH system or its products, not as their natural or first choice for treating or curing diseases but only due to

1. Availability (only ISM practitioners are available in the locality)
2. Hope born of total hopelessness

Certain diseases like Diabetes, Arthritis etc., cannot be cured but only can be managed. That is science.

This science, the allopathic doctors will definitely share to the patients in the beginning itself.

But on the contrary, some AYUSH private practitioners make huge noise that they can cure all such incurable diseases, naturally some people would find hope to experiment ISM for their incurable diseases.

Ironically no one ask how ISM does not have drugs for curable diseases like allopathic system?

People who claim ISM is 3000- 5000 years old must recognize the fact that all through these years until now, ISM is in critical care unit, surviving with life support system? Innovative approach is needed for promoting AYUSH.

Who has brought AYUSH to the present state?

The question is who is betraying the ISM, those who speaks the truth or those who falsifies it?

Is it not those institutionally qualified ISM private practitioners/healers by prescribing allopathic drugs exposes the emptiness of ISM? If ISM has effective drugs, then why some ISM healers in private practice go after scientifically proven allopathic drugs? Is it not wrong on the part of Government to promote a paramedical wellness based AYUSH as system of medicine and giving status equal to globally proven, scientifically tested allopathic system?

Innovative methods not innovation is need of the hour

Time is up for all of us to devise and evolve innovative methods for promoting ISM instead of engaging in blame game, proving who is right and wrong or whether ISM has any merit etc.

The big question is what the science can really prove or bring out from AYUSH?

At best science may prove that some AYUSH products have small medicinal value? But, will that such small medicinal value of some AYUSH products really qualify those products to be called ‘drugs’ for curing and treating diseases’ or such system as system of medicine?

Funding research or big bang research approaches in AYUSH products will not prove anything great either to the system or to the humanity.

Many research organizations may find an easy way to get Government funding in the name of scientific evaluation of some ISM products. Before funding, Government agencies must get an undertaking from the research centres that the findings should be worthy enough to publish in leading journals like Lancet, PNAS, Nature, Science etc. Otherwise the research on AYUSH products is unlikely to bring any great science. Instead, the fund can be used to create better facilities in Government hospitals and giving better remuneration to allopathic doctors to attract them towards rural service.

Innovative methods for promoting ISM is essential than innovation or research in AYUSH.

One of the innovative methods the Government must explore is to involve allopathic doctors in promoting ISM.

How and Why?

How allopathic doctors can be involved in promoting ISM as it lacks science, merit, evidence and convincing usefulness for treating and curing diseases?

No allopathic doctor would like to risk the life of their patients by prescribing some untested faith based ISM products.

How?

Following are the suggestions to the Government

1Declare and re-position ISM as wellness based paramedical system
2.Redefine the ISM products as wellness based products and may have some small medicinal value
3.Remove all toxic metal and mineral based ISM products from ISM
4.Give support and encouragement for allopathic doctors to establish the palliative value ISM products and use them
5.Encourage and support the allopathic doctors to recognize the paramedical values of ISM and to take its service
6.Set up large number of AYUSH wellness centres and create opportunity for ISM healers to offer their paramedical services like massage therapy, panchakarma etc.,
7.Involve ISM practitioners for promoting swachh bharat campaign, community health education, providing wellness insights, moral teachings etc., to people in rural areas
8.Hereafter appoint only allopathic doctors in PHC’s and rural dispensaries
9.Appoint ISM practitioners in rural AYUSH wellness centres

Why?

Some of the ISM products enjoy great respect only because they are recognized and prescribed by allopathic doctors and the best example being Liv52, a product of Himalaya. The century old company Himalaya, the pride of our country; itself promotes its ISM products only under the concept of wellness.

If Government involves allopathic doctors, AYUSH will safely sail through, otherwise it would remain in the turbid pond of false and incredible promises, without offering anything.

But unfortunately, Government in many states are conducting reverse experiment by granting ISM private practitioners the right to practice allopathic drugs.

When ISM private practitioners prescribe allopathic drugs, it raises several questions and concerns such as

1. Are they eligible, duly qualified and do they have knowledge and competency to prescribe allopathic drugs?
2. If so, under which condition?
3. If under emergency they can prescribe allopathic drugs means, have we defined what is medical emergency in India?
4. Medical emergency involve first aid and immediate hospitalization? In first aid, use of drugs is not followed?
5. Then can the ISM healers attend medical emergency that require hospitalization?
6. Is it legally correct and prudent for an ISM healer to prescribe allopathic drugs?
7. Does the allopathic treatment offered by AYUSH healer not worth to be called quackery?
8. Does it not mean AYUSH products are ineffective and that is why they prescribe allopathic drugs?
9. In the above circumstances, should we trust and believe AYUSH products?
10. To get allopathic drugs from AYUSH practitioner, why should people consult AYUSH doctors, instead they can consult allopathic doctors?

Let us sink with truth

Today AYUSH suffer the worst only because of cross pathy that has raised several such questions and doubts. Cross pathy by large number of institutionally qualified ISM private practitioners only has created the above situation for ISM. On the contrary, the traditional ISM healers are obtaining patent for their innovations in ISM.

Allopathic doctors can easily make use of the paramedical value of some AYUSH products but reverse is dangerous i.e. permitting ISM healers to practice allopathic drugs.

Only way and the best way to promote ISM is to empower allopathic doctors. Accept the truth that ISM is meant only for its paramedical benefits. It is not a medical science. Those who have studied the courses are therapists/healers as per the content and philosophy of the curriculum.

The two surveys of NSSO clearly reveal only the above truth. The first survey has shown that 94% of Indians are aware of AYUSH but only small population prefers ISM.

The second survey of NSSO shows that about 98% of Indians (both in rural and urban areas) prefers only allopathic system and not AYUSH.

Writing on the wall is clear and vivid. We need the grace of allopathic doctors to help AYUSH to survive.

But only if we speak the truth, we can win the support of allopathic doctors. The truth is that none of the ISM products are drugs and ISM is paramedical science and not system of medicine.

Let us be scientifically correct and not emotionally correct and perfect.

Let us show our patriotism against our enemy force and not against our own people. In the name of patriotism let us not promote ISM as system of medicine and legalize quackery and cross pathy. Let us not gift such system to poor people in rural India.

It is a wonderful paramedical wellness based system let us promote ISM with the help of qualified allopathic doctors.
With their grace, let us make AYUSH graceful.

Dr S Ranganathan

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