Archive for the ‘Government News’ category

No action against genuine alternative medicine doctors

July 30th, 2010
No proceedings can be initiated against any registered practitioners in Siddha, Ayurveda, Homeopathy and Unani, who are eligible to practice irrespective of their system, and also in modern scientific medicine, including surgery, gynecology, obstetrics, anesthesiology, ENT, ophthalmology, etc., the Madras High Court ruled on Thursday.

Justice FM Ibrahim Kalifulla gave the ruling while closing a contempt application from Tamil Nadu Siddha Medical Colleges Association, represented by its president R Kumar, which sought to punish the DGP for her willful and wanton disobedience of the orders passed by the court on April 7, 2006.
The ruling runs contrary to a recent order delivered by another judge on a petition filed by two unani practitioners who sought similar relief. In February this year, Justice K K Sasidharan had held that practitioners of Indian system of medicines should not practise allopathy, and that there was nothing wrong if police take action against those who attempt to practice allopathy without valid qualification.

“If any action had been taken against such of those medical practitioners referred to above, it is needless to state that such action should be dropped forthwith pending further orders in the writ petition (pending before the High Court),” the judge said.
The ruling and observation followed the submission of advocate S Prabakaran that despite the April 2006 orders of the high court on the writ petition, many members of petitioner association were arrested between January 9, 2009 and June 12, 2010.
The 2006 order restrained the DGP and her subordinates from interfering with the professional practice of the members of the petitioner association, who held valid registration certificates issued by the Siddha Medical Council.

Himachal farmers to be trained to grow medicinal herbs.

July 29th, 2010
Health and Ayurveda Minister, Dr. Rajiv Bindal,  said that Rs. 2 crore would be spent for imparting training in production of medicinal & herbal plants to the farmers of Himachal Pradesh. He said that the various herbal plants which could not be sold earlier due to ban and now these had been brought under market scheme so that farmers could benefit by producing them.
Presiding over the review meeting of Ayurveda Department, Dr. Bindal said that under the able leadership of Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, the State Government was committed to provide better health care services to the people and added that main emphasis was also being laid for popularising ayurvedic system of medicines especially in rural areas of the State.
He said that during the review of working of Ayurveda Department, it was found that 1,03,257 patients were admitted in Ayurveda hospitals during 2008-09 as compared to 1,27,206 in 2009-10 which was 19 percent increase against previous year.
Health Minister said that under Panchkarma system of medicine 7211 patients and under ‘Kashar sutar’ 844 patients were benefitted so far. He said that at present 15 ayurvedic hospitals were providing Panchkarma facilities and nine ayurvedic institutes ‘Kashar Sutar’ System of medicines. He said that, however, in 2008 only six hospitals were providing ‘Panchkarma’ treatment and two ayurvedic institutes ‘Kashar Sutar’ medicines treatment to the people of the State.
Dr. Rajiv Bindal said that Ayurveda Nursing College would start functioning this year and admission in the college would start in September, 2010. He said that similarly admission in Ayurvedic pharmacy college would also start in the month September, 2010. He said that Centre of Excellence in ‘geriatric’ health care and centre of excellence in ‘Dravya Gun’ were being upgraded by spending Rs. 63 lakh on each hospital for construction of buildings, equipments and medicines. He said that construction works of 25 ayurvedic health centres buildings had been completed and added that construction works of remaining 25 buildings would be completed by the end of the year.

Ayurvastra the healing fabric

July 28th, 2010
Kerala is known for rejuvenation therapies. One of the therapies that was unknown outside Kerala involves the use of garments for health solutions.; Now, Ayurvastra. This involves the use of natural fibres and herbal dyes and this eco-friendliness has appealed to the people, especially foreigners.
Ayurvastra is based on the principle of touch. By coming in contact with the cloth, the body loses toxins and the metabolism is enhanced. The cloth that has been permeated with special herbs and oils is believed to help cure a wide range of ailments, including diabetes, skin infections, psoriasis, hypertension, asthma, arthritis and rheumatism. It would help restore the balance in the body and strengthen the immune system. The most effective time to wear Ayurvastra is while sleeping or meditating.
The cloth is bleached with cow’s urine, which has high medicinal value and the dyeing gum too is herbal and it does not pollute like synthetic dye. The yarn or fabric is dyed in a mixture of dyes, containing 40 to 60 medicinal herbs, depending on the ailment. The herbs used in the dye for arthritis are curry leaves and apocynceae, while it is turmeric, neem and sandalwood for skin diseases. These fabrics embrace the body with a soft and supple touch.
it is difficult to get a patent for the technology, as they use many medicines and methods, that has been developed from Charaka’s Kudipraveshika Chikitsa. This ethnic method has been developed by the ancestors of the Kuzhivila family in Kerala. With health concerns spreading, Ayurvastra is carving a niche in the world of textiles. For all its contemporary looks, tradition is moulded with modernity and a variety of material such as skirts, blouses, shirts, pants, socks, home-linen and yoga mats are available.
There are garments for healing and wellness. There is a great demand among foreigners for wellness fabric, which includes yoga mats, shawls and stoles, The herbs will not run even after the cloth is washed.
The society has outlets in Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata. The society also exports products to the US, Italy, Germany, UK, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
A clinical trial initiated by the Ministry of Health at the Government Ayurveda College in Thiruvananthapuram underlines that Ayurvastra can be effective in curing certain diseases. People suffering from rheumatism, allergies, diabetes, psoriasis and other skin ailments were constantly exposed to herbs for six months through Ayurvastra clothing, bed linens, and mattresses in specially prepared rooms.
The response was good, with patients showing remarkable improvement and speedy recovery especially in cases of arthritis and skin ailments, says Dr Vishwanathan, the former dean of the Drug Research Department at Ayurveda College, who led the research in 2005-2006 after the Central government allocated Rs 1 crore for scientific evaluation.“We need to do more research to determine the effectiveness of Ayurvastra, which can do wonders if used along with medication,” he says.

Commonwealth Games Players to get a taste of Kerala’s massage treatment

July 27th, 2010
With an aim to give foreign visitors a taste of famous Kerala massage during the Commonwealth Games, Delhi’s health department had approached Kerala government a couple of months ago for assistance to select masseurs who could be trained in massages that could be used to give relief to tired or injured athletes. Kerala Government, advertised for masseurs & 150 candidates were chosen & trained for games duties.
A team of 150 masseurs trained in therapeutic Kerala ayurvedic massage will cater to around 8,000 sportspersons during the Commonwealth Games. The masseurs, most of whom are either ayurvedic massage therapists or ayurvedic doctors from Kerala, have been selected by the director of Medical Education Ayurveda and principal of Ayurveda Medical College of Trivandrum. They will be now trained in sports injuries by a Pune-based specialist in August.
S Bhattacharjee, director of Delhi Health Services, said the Organizing Committee would need around 120 masseurs while the rest would be kept on standby.
The masseurs will be divided in various teams and will be stationed at the Commonwealth Games Village and event venues. After reaching the capital 10 days before the Games, the masseurs will stay in a hostel facility in Maulana Azad Medical College and Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital complex.
Health minister Kiran Walia said research has shown that masseurs of Indian system of medicine like ayurveda are among the best in the world. She claimed that masseurs specializing in sports-related massages were an important component of the health arrangements for the Games.

CERS alleges fat free remedies ads of ayurveda firm misleading, plans to move consumer court

July 26th, 2010
The Consumer Education and Research Society (CERS), a leading consumer rights organisation based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, is exploring legal options to complain with the consumer redressal forum against the allegedly misleading advertisement of the Thissur -based Sri Bhagavathy Madom Ayurveda Nikethanam, Kerala, for its fitness massage oil and fat free tablets.
The CERS, an not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation (NGO), alleges that the company’s claims on its two products, the Sri Bhagavathy Madom Fitness Massage Oil and the Fat Free, on advertisements published in various publications are misleading the consumers. The society has recently complained to the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), a self regulatory
voluntary organization of the advertising industry, against the advertisement.
“The ASCI has advised the company to withdraw the advertisement on dispute from publishing henceforth. However the company seems to carry on with the advertisement and our legal department is examining the issue for further actions,” said Pritee Shah, senior director, CERS and the editor with the society’s consumer magazine, Insight.
According to CERS complaint, “the ad said that the ‘Fat Free’ tablet is scientifically proven as reducing excess fat and cholesterol; and by using ‘Sri Bhagavathy Madom Fitness Massage Oil’ one can get rid of loose fat, wrinkles bulgings, swellings, dry skin, excess sweating and bad odour. ‘Use ‘Fat Free’ tablet and ‘Sri Bhagavathy Madom Fitness Massage Oil’ together and see the magical result within one month”, the ad claimed’”.
The Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) of ASCI found that the advertisement contravened Chapter 1.1 of the ASCI Code and has advised the advertiser to withdraw the said advertisement. The CCC, after considering the clinical data submitted by the advertiser, concluded that the claims mentioned in the ad and cited in the complaint were not substantiated adequately, says a press release from CERS.
The ASCI is the voluntary self-regulatory body dealing with complaints received from consumers and industry, against advertisements which are considered as false, misleading, indecent, illegal, leading to unsafe practices, or unfair to competition, and consequently in contravention of the ASCI Code for self-regulation in advertising.
Though the issue could be challenged with the state drug regulator pointing relevant acts and rules, the society, being a consumer organisation, would preferably move to the consumer redressal forum for a remedy, said Shah. However, management officials from Sri Bhagavathy Madom were not readily available for comments.

Himachal Pradesh to spent Rs. 13.50 crore for 27 Ayurvedic institutions

July 14th, 2010
Shimla: Dr. Rajiv Bindal, Health and Ayurveda Minister said that a sum of Rs. 13.50 crore would be spent on construction of new buildings and providings equipments for 27 Ayurvedic institutions in the State.
Presiding over the review meeting of Ayurveda Department here today, Dr. Bindal said that draft proposal for construction of new buildings for 27 Ayurvedic institutions had been prepared and added that Rs. 35 lakh would be spent on construction of each building of the institutions while Rs. 15 lakh for providing equipments etc. in these institutions in the State. He said that Ayurvedic Pharmacy College would soon be opened and added that all formalities had already been completed. He said that admission for B. Pharmacy in Ayurveda would start this year.. He said that similarly admission for B.Sc. Nursing in Ayurveda would start this year also.
Health Minister said that the present Government headed by Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister was committed to provide better health care services to the people of the State for which Ayurveda Department was doing its best. He said that Panchkarma system of medicines was introduced in six institutions of the State after the formation of present Government which had now been introduced in nine more institutions. He said that now the treatment under Panchkarma system of medicines was provided to the people of the State in 15 institutions. He further said that treatment under ‘ Kashar Sutar’ system of medicines was given in two institutions of the State upto 1st January, 2008 which had now been introduced in nine institutions till-now.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri P.C. Dhiman, Principal Secretary, Health and Ayurveda said that all-out efforts would be made for promotion Ayurveda in the State.
Earlier, Shri Prem Singh Draik, Director, Ayurveda welcomed the Chief Guest and detailed out the activities undertaken by the Department in the State.
The meeting among others was attended by Shri Roop Singh Verma, Deputy Secretary, Ayurveda, Shri Rameshwar Sharma, Additional Director and other senior officers of Ayurveda Department.

Ayurveda cluster to be built near Pune

June 24th, 2010
An ayurveda industry cluster and common facility centre will be built at Kolawadi near Pune at a cost of Rs 16 crore, with the work expected to commence in 2011.
The city-based Maharashtra Ayurveda Centre Private Limited (MACPL) is building the cluster, which will have world-class raw material standardisation and processing centres, quality control laboratories, research centres, manufacturing centres for entrepreneurship and skill development in the field of ayurveda.
While the total cost of the project is Rs 16 crore, the department of AYUSH — which falls under the ministry of health and family welfare — has granted a subsidy of Rs 10 crore to the project. The remaining amount will be raised by the MACPL.
Speaking to TOI, Sunita Belgamwar, chairman, MACPL, said, “The cluster will come up at Kolawadi near Pune on the Pune-Bangalore highway. The common facility centre will be developed on 54,000 sq ft. It will benefit ayurveda drug manufacturers, traders, medicinal plant farmers, distributors, ayurveda practitioners, researchers and students.”
She said the MACPL consists of around 35 organisations that will be among the primary investors in this project. “We are expecting the project to commence by 2011. The cluster will bring additional employment opportunities in the ayurveda sector in the state.”
Belgamwar said the Union government has sanctioned two ayurveda clusters for the state and the other one will come up in the Konkan area. She said the Centre will also provide subsidy for cultivation of medicinal plants, which farmers will supply as raw material. In fact, the Centre recently gave subsidy to farmers from Vidarbha for cultivating medicinal plants.

CII Kerala and state to set up ayurveda village

June 11th, 2010
The Kerala unit of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) in partnership with the health department will set up an ayurveda village in the state’s Kannur district.
“We will be the facilitator. In the village precious herbs and medicinal plants would be cultivated by the locals. We will provide them the saplings and the techniques for cultivation. Once the plants are ready, we will help them to sell their produce for a good price,” said P. Ganesh, Kerala CII chief.
He said there is a huge demand for herbs and medicinal plants from companies manufacturing ayurvedic medicines.
He also said the ayurveda hospital in Kannur would be upgraded.
Earlier in the day, a CII delegation, led by its southern region chairman Kris Gopalakrishnan, called on Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan to discuss areas of cooperation.
“We have identified areas where we will work for turning the state into a destination for investment and the thrust areas would include IT, tourism, development of traditional industries besides infrastructure development. A master plan for cities in the state also is being planned,” said Gopalakrishnan.
He also said that for speedy development of the state basic infrastructure is essential.

Pharmacopoeia Commission

May 15th, 2010
The government has decided to set up a Pharmacopoeia Commission at a cost of Rs. 14.08 crore for developing indigenous medicines with the aim of raising the country’s share in the $62-billion global herbal drug market.
The Commission for development of Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medicines would be set up in the wake of increasing cost of modern healthcare drugs and demand for herbal medicines, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told journalists after a Union Cabinet meeting.
The Commission, to be housed in Ghaziabad, would set standards for drugs in the Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medical systems.
Earlier, a Committee set up by the Planning Commission for AYUSH (Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha) sector approved the setting up of the Commission. The panel will be responsible for publication and revision of standards on Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani drugs, as well as their formulation, development and publishing standards.
The global trade in herbal drugs is worth $62 billion. Of this, China’s share was $19 billion, against a meagre $1 billion of India, a senior official said. The Commission would strive for India increased its market share.
There were 1,000 kinds of drugs and an equal number of compound formulations. The Commission would develop standards and quality specifications of identity and strength of raw material as well. It would define standard procedures for manufacturing Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani drugs, besides maintaining a national depository that would provide authentic reference of the raw material.
The Commission would be an autonomous society headed by an eminent technical person. It should work with immediate effect and would eventually become self-sustainable, the Minister said.

Programme to incorporate ayurveda in rural women’s healthcare

February 11th, 2010
With an aim to ensure that ayurveda is accessible to the rural community, especially women, efforts are being made to make the discipline a part of primary health centres and create awareness about it.
A programme has been conceptualized to create awareness, clear myths and generate suggestions for policy formulations for incorporating ayurveda in National Rural Healthcare systems for women.
“We propose to understand the science and logic behind traditional lifestyles and know the different options available for affordable and alternative means of good health for our rural populace,” an NGO participating in a seminar on ayurveda said.
A good example are the traditional ‘dais’ or midwives who have undoubtedly played a very significant role in human resource development but little or not effort has been made to upgrade their skills to meet new challenges, it said.
Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath said rural women not being so well-educated are dependent on local health workers, governments’ hospitals and sometimes on the information that trickles down to them from urban lifestyles.
The seminar also recognized the need to clear some myths amongst both urban and rural women about some practices related to women-specific lifestyles.