INTEGRATED AYURVEDA/HOMEOPATHY/ALLOPATHY INSTITUTION PROPOSED

By Kanchan Srivastava
DNA/Daily News & Analysis
Tuesday, 25 AprIL 2017-10:29pm

The integrated institution, which would be possibly first of its kind in India, would have a medical, a dental, an Ayurveda, a homeopathy and a physiotherapy college along with their dedicated hospitals in Jalgaon.

In an interesting development, the BJP-led Devendra Fadnavis government has approved an integrated medical hub which will offer healthcare services in modern allopathy, Indian traditional and homeopathy under one roof. The Rs 1,250 crore unique project spread over 47 hectare would be set-up in Jalgaon city, the home town of Medical Education Minister Girish Mahajan.

The integrated institution, which would be possibly first of its kind in India, would have a medical, a dental, an Ayurveda, a homeopathy and a physiotherapy college along with their dedicated hospitals. The move seeks collaboration of all branches of medicine and offer a bouquet of healthcare services to patients as per their need.

There would be 100 seats for MBBS, 100 for Ayurveda, 50 for dental and homeopathy and 40 seats for physiotherapy. Girish Mahajan, Medical Education Minister, said “Civil hospital of Jalgaon will be affiliated with this hub. Admission for all these courses will start next academic year.”

Mahajan justifies the selection of Jalgaon claiming that north Maharashtra has just 0.54 doctors per one lakh population compared to state figure of 0.64 for 1,000 population.

The government denies any plan to formulate interdisciplinary courses for medical students in this institution, however, sources say there is no harm if doctors recommend treatments unrelated to their branch if it offers better results.

OJA FESTIVAL OF AYURVEDA & YOGA 2017 in NEW DELHI

Ayurveda & Yoga Oja Festival make Ayurveda first call of treatment
ETHealthWorld
New Delhi
May 6, 2017

Now when medical treatment is so expensive, Ayurveda can help us in making effective treatment available to more and more people. -- Shri Manoj Sinha, Minister of Communications

Manoj Sinha, Minister of Communications today inaugurated Oja Festival 2017, India’s Premier festival of Ayurveda & Yoga in presence of A Jayakumar, Secretary General – Vijnana Bharati, Prof. Abhimanyu Kumar, Director – All India Institute of Ayurveda and other eminent experts and doctors from the field of Ayurveda.

Oja Festival by NirogStreet is a movement to make Ayurveda first call of treatment for those interested in Ayurcveda. Organised at Constitution Club of India, New Delhi, this two day festival was attended by doctors and experts from different streams of Ayurveda, India’s popular ayurvedic companies, policy makers and general public.

Inaugurating the Oja Festival 2017, Shri Manoj Sinha, Minister of Communications said, “Before independence a lot of our historic knowledge was lost and no effort was made to restore it. Now when medical treatment is so expensive, Ayurveda can help us in making effective treatment available to more and more people. We need to strengthen our research in this area and make it accessible to people across the country. The potential of Yoga is also being realized and the government is working towards promoting it. I applaud this endeavor towards creating awareness about Ayurveda and Yoga.”

Talking about the initiative, Mr. Ram N. Kumar, Co-Founder Nirogstreet.com said, “Oja Festival is our initiative to celebrate Ayurveda and to promote this most effective yet nature friendly method of treatment among masses so as to make it first call of treatment worldwide.”

MAHARASTRA UNVERSITY AYURVEDA TEXT PUSHES MALE CHILDREN

Classical Ayurveda textbook: How to conceive a boy
by Alka Dhupkar
Mumbai Mirror
May 8, 2017

[Ed: It is not an understatement to say that even in India, the land of its birth, a massive amount of misinformation, misunderstanding and plain ignorance about Ayurveda prevail, to some extent egged on by the partisans of conventional allopathy. The hue and cry raised in this instance is over the content of a text over two thousand years in age, which BAMS students study as one of the classics of Ayurveda. That such foolishness should draw so much public attention is little less than embarrassing.]

In the state-owned Maharashtra University of Health Science, the third year students of Bachelor of Ayurveda, Medicine, and Surgery have to learn, among other things, how to "conceive a male child". The process of creating a male foetus  is called `pusanvan'. According to the text, any woman who desires a boy should be "blessed with the pusanvan ritual" as soon as she gets pregnant, reports The Times of India and Mumbai MIrror. The text has been taken from Charaka Samhita, the pre-2nd Century CE compilation on Ayurveda, which is a part of the current BAMS syllabus.

Want a baby boy? Collect two north facing branches of a Banyan tree (east facing will also suffice) that has grown in a stable, take precisely two grains of urad dal mustard seeds, grind all the ingredients with curd, and consume the mixture.This recipe is not some self-styled godman's prescription to fool gullible couples. It's part of the third-year Bachelor of Ayurveda, Medicine, and Surgery (BAMS) textbook that informs students on techniques to conceive a boy.

The text has been copied from Charaka Samhita, the pre-2nd Century CE compilation on Ayurveda, which is included in the current BAMS syllabus. According to the textbook, the process of creating a male foetus is called `pusanvan', and any woman who desires a boy should be "blessed with the pusanvan ritual" as soon as she gets pregnant.

The textbook lists various techniques to ensure the birth of a boy. One such technique is rather expensive. It says: "Create two miniature statues of a man out of gold, silver, or iron after throwing the statues in a furnace. Pour that molten element in milk, curd or water, and on an auspicious hour of Pushp Nakshatra, consume it."

The BAMS syllabus in the state is supervised by the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) in Nashik, and Dr Dilip Mhaisekar, former dean of the Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College in Nanded, is the vice-chancellor.

Objection to the textbook's contents were recently raised by Ganesh Borhade, a member of the district supervisory board of the PreConception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, who is also associated with the Lek Ladki Abhiyan supervised by advocate Varsha Deshpande.

"Doctors with BAMS degrees have a thriving practice not just in rural areas, but also in cities such as Mumbai, Pune, and Nashik. Many people shun allopathy in favour of Ayurveda, and if this is what medical students are being taught, God help this society," Borhade said. He brought the textbook content to the notice of the PCPNDT Act authorities in the state, but it is unlikely that such content will be removed from the textbooks in the coming academic year.

Dr Asaram Khade, the Maharashtra PCPNDT Act consultant, told Mumbai Mirror that a letter has already been issued to the joint secretary, public health, Government of India regarding the syllabus in violation of the PCPNDT Act, even as Borhade warned that the Centre had less than a month to act. "The academic year starts in July, and such content supports female foeticide" he said. Borhade pointed out a part of the content in the textbook, which he said had no scientific backing whatsoever. The portion of the content said, "Cook rice flour with water, and while cooking, the woman should inhale the steam. Then add water to the cooked flour, and soak a ball of cotton in it. The woman should lie on the threshold so that her head touches the ground. Then, with that cotton ball, the liquid should be poured in her nostrils. It should not be spit out, instead it should be swallowed."

MUHS Vice-Chancellor Dr Mhaisekar said the BAMS curriculum was decided by the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy (AYUSH), and that he had written to the ministry regarding the objectionable content. "We are awaiting a reply from the ministry," Mhaisekar told Mumbai Mirror yesterday. "The MUHS doesn't have the right to add or delete from the syllabus. There are seven members from Maharashtra in the Central Council of Ayurveda and all of them are aware of this content," he said.

AYURVEDA, MODERN MEDICINE SHOULD INTEGRATE TO PROMOTE HEALTH: S.Y. NAIK

Ground Report
February 12, 2016
Jaipur, Rajasthan India

The Minister of State for AYUSH (Independent Charge) and Health & Family Welfare Mr. Shripad Yesso Naik has said that it is essential to integrate the traditional Indian Medicine System into Modern Medicine system. Mr. Naik inaugurated the National Symposium on Child Health Care through Ayurveda at the NIMS University at Jaipur on Feb 11.

Speaking at the occasion, the AYUSH Minister said that India is famous the world over for its AYUSH systems of medicine including Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa & Homoeopathy. All these systems of medicine must be used in an integrated manner to promote a healthy life.

Mr. Shripad Naik informed that the AYUSH Ministry has proposed the integration of Allopathic and Ayurvedic systems to give better results for treatment of various illnesses.

Several specialists expressed their thoughts at the symposium on Ayurveda including Dr. Harland Winter from the US and Dr. Anil Dhawan from the UK.

PM MODI: AYURVEDA GLOBALLY RELEVANT DUE TO HOLISTIC APPROACH

One India
Kozhikode, Kerala India
Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Ayurveda is globally relevant due to its holistic and comprehensive approach to health, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday. "Today, ayurveda is globally relevant because of its holistic and comprehensive approach to health. The ayurvedic 'dincharya' (daily routine) helps to bring about peace and harmony in one's life. Ayurvedic daily routines are meant to enhance the health of a human being, both mental and physical," Modi said at the ongoing Global Ayurveda Festival here.

He said non-communicable as well as lifestyle diseases like hypertension, diabetes, and cancers had become the greatest health challenges to the world community. Modi said the escalating cost of treatment and side effects of allopathic medicines had prompted medical experts to think of widening their horizons to traditional systems of medicine. "The World Health Organisation estimates that non-communicable diseases kill about 38 million people each year and almost three-fourths of these deaths, that is 28 million, occur in low and middle income countries. It is in managing these that ayurveda offers solutions," the prime minister said. He said India has had a long tradition of saints and hermits who evolved the indigenous systems of health care like ayurveda, yoga and siddha. However, Modi said, the real potential of ayurveda remained untapped due to inadequate scientific scrutiny and concerns regarding standards and quality.

If this problem is resolved, India could be a leader in making affordable, holistic healthcare available to the world, the prime minister said. He said that his government was fully committed to the promotion of ayurveda and traditional systems of medicine.

After the BJP formed the government at the Centre, the AYUSH department was upgraded to the status of a union ministry and the National AYUSH Mission launched to promote AYUSH medical systems through cost effective services, he said. "We are committed to promote the use of traditional medicines in our public health system through regulation of research and appropriate integration of quality products, practices and practitioners into the health system. Our efforts are to tap the real potential of ayurveda and other AYUSH systems in imparting preventive and holistic healthcare to the people," Modi said. He also called upon young entrepreneurs to find a lot of opportunities in holistic healthcare.

"Traditional medicines are affordable to many rural people. It is available to local communities and time-tested for its safety and efficacy. Above all, it imbibes the culture and eco-system of the communities within which it grows," said Modi. He pointed to developments in the traditional medicine sector in China and said India too should learn from the experience of other countries, and ensure that ayurveda and other Indian systems of healthcare were propagated and popularized.

WORLD CANCER DAY: USING AYURVEDA TO REDUCE PAIN, CHEMOTHERAPY SIDE-EFFECTS

The Indian Express (Anuradha Mascarenhas)
Pune, Maharashtra India
Thursday, 4 February, 2016

Cancer is the second biggest killer after heart disease in India. Data from the WHO World Cancer Report released in 2015 indicates that in India, there are 7 lakh new cancer cases every year, killing more than 3.5 lakh people. Ahead of World Cancer Day on February 4, experts fear that the count is expected to rise in the next ten years.

Dr Chaitanya Koppiker, managing trustee of Prashanti Cancer Care Mission and medical director of Orchids breast health, who has been instrumental in conducting marathons featuring film stars and launching several awareness drives, said that the focus is on prevention, diagnostics and clinical research.

The theme for this year is “We can: I can.” As part of their sustained effort to prevent and treat cancer, Koppiker’s research team at Orchids has tied up with National Chemical Laboratory, University of Pune and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER). “We see as many as 350-400 cases of all types of cancer every year and the age group is getting younger,” he says.

“As part of our research efforts, we are specially looking at the use of certain ayurvedic drugs that can alleviate pain and reduce side-effects of chemotherapy and also improve the quality of life. We are also researching on whether the use of polymer technology can help in reducing other side-effects like fibrosis after reconstructive breast surgery along with NCL,” Koppiker said.

A tie up with Tata Trust and Tata Memorial Cancer Centre in Mumbai has also placed Orchids breast health care on the cancer grid so that the latter can undertake research and clinical studies on prevention of cancer. “We have recently been recognised by the government as a Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and further tie-ups have been planned with East Anglia University to introduce an educational course on oncoplastic surgeries in Pune,” Koppiker added.

Meanwhile, an Indus health plus report says that 15 per cent of the younger population in the age group of 25-30 years are at a higher risk of oral and lung cancer. The sample size for the study was 23,145 people who underwent preventive health check-up during January-December, 2015. The report states that over the last two years, risk of cancer has been increasing among people in the middle and younger age groups by 12%.

According to Dr Tushar Patil, Medical Oncologist, Sahyadri Hospital, “20% of the women are at a higher risk of breast cancer followed by cervical cancer. Ovarian cancer and colon cancers are also increasing in females. Wrong eating habits, settling for junk food, increasing cases of obesity and heavy smoking especially amongst females have given rise to such cases.”

SAI AYURVEDIC COLLEGE (MIAMI) INITIATES DOCTORAL PROGAM, AUTUMN 2016

In April of 2013, the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA) approved tentative standards for the implementation of a third year add-on program for graduates of two-year Ayurveda practitioner programs to qualify for a newly created professional membership category of “Ayurvedic Doctor.” This category includes Ayurvedic professionals who have specific specialized training in Ayurveda with overview training in conventional medicine that enables them to interface with Western medical practitioners and provide comprehensive Ayurvedic healthcare to their clients. Note that the use of the term “doctor” may be limited by individual state licensure statutes and regulations.

Because many of Sai Ayurvedic College’s two year graduates (among others) have expressed a desire to advance their education beyond its current level, Sai Ayurvedic College has formulated a plan to offer beginning in approximately October 2016 a third year Doctoral level program in Ayurveda. In addition to meeting the needs of our graduates, this program may also be beneficial to graduates of other two-year programs as well as Indian university Ayurvedic graduates holding the degree of BAMS or higher, in orienting them toward practice in a North American environment. This third year Doctoral program will be offered in the classroom as well as via live webcast. We have upgraded our audio system to a high-tech high band UHF communication system so as to facilitate distance learners’ participation in this and other College programs.

Doctors of Ayurveda are competent at understanding disease from an Ayurvedic perspective, while possessing a working knowledge of Western medical diagnostic and treatment terminology and practices, sufficient to enable them to correlate those terms and diagnoses into Ayurvedic understanding and practice. Doctors of Ayurveda therefore have a working knowledge of Western Medical Pathology, Pharmacology, Diagnostic reports and treatments, in order to interface with the Western medical community.

In addition to the obvious requirement of completion of the first and second years of the program, NAMA has interposed an additional requirement, viz., the completion of a minimum of 6 semester hours (9 quarter hours) of university level instruction in Anatomy and Physiology for admission to the program. Nearly every university, college and community college in the USA offers this particular sequence of courses, i.e., Anatomy & Physiology I & II. Students are not limited in any way as to their choice of institution in which to study these. Graduates and attendees of university or professional school programs in Medicine, Dentistry, Podiatry, Acupuncture/Oriental Medicine, Optometry, Nursing, Pharmacy, Physician Assistance Studies, Physical Therapy, Chiropractic, Osteopathy and Naturopathic Medicine have almost certainly already met this requirement as a consequence of graduation. Graduates of programs in Occupational Therapy, Veterinary Medicine and other allied health programs may have met this requirement as well, depending on the specific nature of their coursework completed.

Graduates of foreign institutions will have their status assessed on a case-by-case basis.

For detailed information, please contact the College’s Academic Dean, Bill Courson, at wcourson@saiayurvediccollege.com.