Traditional Medicine in Asia

and Allied Sciences (DIPAS) has done
extensive work on looking at the effect of
Yoga on soldiers working in extreme
climatic conditions as well as the effect of
vegeta-rianism, yoga and meditation on
persons having over 50 per cent blockage
of at least one artery with the results being
followed up after six months. Cardiologists
from top allopathic institutions tested the
results through angiography and the
outcome has shown extremely promising
results. In this way, patients have been
enabled to overcome apparently
intractable problems through simple and
cheap strategies within their control and
devoid of side-effects.
Several specialized institutions in the
allopathic sector as well as those committed
exclusively to Yoga are conducting
extensive research on the tremendous
healing properties of Yoga and its strengths.
This is one of the cheapest ways of involving
the community in health promotion and in
making it a community effort. The health
system only needs to screen the Yoga
teacher, extend occasional supervision and
to see that nominal payments are made
for the classes. The community can be left
to decide the teacher’s acceptability. In
order to make this a part of the health
system, it is necessary to involve the local
Government machinery in the rural and
urban areas, community leaders, schools
teachers and doctors in-charge of PHCs.
Through this approach, a number of
problems can be taken care of without
medication.
Homoeopathy
Homoeopathy is recognized as a system
of medicine in many countries and a large
number of drugs are available over the
counter in the United States, as well as in
several European and other countries. It is
extremely important that the drugs are
Role of traditional systems of medicine in national health care systems
licensed and sold with proper labelling and
product information. In some countries like
the United Kingdom, allopathic practitioners
undergo a one-year course in
Homoeopathy and can practise the system.
In India, students have to enrol after the
school level and undergo a five-and-a-halfyear
degree course to be allowed to
practise. Homoeopathy is particularly
remarkable in being able to treat routine
problems, skin and other allergies, gastric
problems and children’s ailments. It is
possible to list at least 40 simple remedies
which could be sold through chemists over
the counter without prescription, in 5 ml.
vials, so that there is no misuse. These 40
medicines are intended for common
ailments to relieve symptoms to aid early
restoration of normalcy. It is necessary to
improve access to these simple medicines
and to sensitize people, who should be
encouraged to use such remedies. Several
simple booklets are available which
describe the condition as well as the mode
of administration of the drugs and the
dosage. Since Homoeopathy is a gentle
and effective medicinal science, its use
should be integrated into the health system
more effectively.
Traditional Therapies which can
be integrated to advantage
Research studies have also shown the
beneficial effects of Ksharasootra and
Panchakarma, two Ayurvedic therapies.
Ksharasootra comprises the use of
Ayurvedic medicated thread in the
management of fistula-in-ano, and
multicentric trials have been conducted at
the collaborating centres of the Indian
Council of Medical Research on 265
patients where the approach was
compared with conventional surgery. The
finding showed that the long-term outcome
of Ksharasootra is better than surgery,
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