Traditional Medicine in Asia

The Unani system appears to attract
the largest number of people for
rheumatoid arthritis (waja-ul-mafasil) and
vitiligo among chronic diseases, common
cold (nazla-wa-zukam) and dyspepsia (sue-hazm)
(Table 3).
Institute of Medical Sciences,
Banaras Hindu University,
Varanasi – An example of
integration
Banaras Hindu University (BHU) is
probably the first institution which
conceived the idea of integrating the
ancient and modern systems of medicine
both at the level of education and
professional practice, 73 years ago, when
the first ever integrated Ayurvedic College
was established. Subsequently, this model
became controversial and was opposed
by the mainstream of Ayurvedic
organizations, and the Ayurvedic College
of BHU was closed in 1960 but an
integrated education was started at the
Role of traditional systems of medicine in national health care systems
Table 3. Utilization of Unani Treatment over a six-month period in
Dr. R.M.L. Hospital, New Delhi (A 900-Bed Allopathic General
Hospital)
Chronic disease Attendance General disease Attendance
% %
Waja-ul-Mafasil (Rheumatoid Arthritis) 23.1 Su-e-Hazm (Dyspepsia) 10.5
Bars (Vitiligo) 7.9 Nazla-wa-Zukam (Common cold) 10.5
Sailan-ur-Rahem (Leucorrhoea) 6.1 Qabz (Constipation) 10.1
Saman-e-Mufrit (Obesity) 5.6 Faqruddam (Anaemia) 6.1
Zeequn Nafas (Bronchial Asthma) 5.4 Waja-ul-Batn (Abdominal pain) 6.1
Ziabetus Sukkari (Diabetes Mellitus) 5.2 Humma (Fever) 5.9
Humuzat-e-Meda (Hyperacidity) 4.0 Zaheer (Dysentery) 5.7
Warm-e-Qasbat-ur-Riya (Bronchitis) 3.3 Ishal (Diarrhoea) 4.7
Bawaseer (Piles) 3.2 Qula (Stomatitis) 4.1
Zof-e-Kabid (Liver dysfunction) 2.7 Suda (Headache) 3.9
Other Diseases 33.5 Other Diseases 32.4
Total 100 100
(18095) (10492)
The Tables are indicative of the areas where patients visiting an allopathic hospital still prefer to use traditional
medicine exclusively or as an adjunct therapy.
postgraduate level for teaching and
research and this approach is continuing
even today. The M.D. Ayurveda
Programme of the Faculty of Ayurveda is
also open to MBBS graduates. For such
candidates, the first-year M.D. Course is
a special preparatory course and there is
a separate examination for the two
streams. But the Final M.D. Ayurveda
examination and teaching is common for
both the streams. They undergo the same
training in the 2nd and 3rd year, clear the
same examination and get the same
degree.
The University has also passed an
Ordinance through which a candidate
holding an M.D. degree in Ayurveda may
be registered for a Ph.D. degree in the
respective speciality of modern medicine
and vice versa.
Medical Research in BHU
The M.D. Ayurveda and Ph.D. Ayurveda
scholars adopt modern parameters of
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