Ayurveda health hubs in the red

Ayurveda health hubs in the red
- district hospitals yet to materialise; medical centres lack staff, medicines
ARTI SAHULIYAR

Ranchi, Oct. 27: A year and a half after a proposal was mooted, the state government is yet to establish ayurvedic health centres in rural areas.

The existing medical centres (ayurvedic, allopathic and unani) are also reeling under problems, such as a shortage of staff, medicines and vehicles to take the doctors around.

According to the health centre proposal, which is now lying in the files of the health department, the government had mooted an idea to open 10 ayurvedic hubs in 22 districts of the state where additional primary health centres exist but without any paramedical staff.

The main idea behind these health centres is providing treatment to those patients who did not have faith in allopathic treatment.

Referring to the lack of staff in health centres, district indigenous medical officer (DIMO) K.L. Sharma said a proposal was made to recruit doctors on a contractual basis for the proposed ayurvedic, homeopathic and unani health centres, but still nothing had been done so far.

“The posts — a unani medical officer in Narkopi, an ayurvedic medical officer in Sonahatu and a homeopathic doctor post in Getalsud — are lying vacant,” Sharma pointed out.

Ayurvedic medication is the most effective method of treatment, said Sharma, because there are lots of herbs available in the villages. “When doctors on duty prescribe a particular ayurvedic medicine, villagers can use the raw herbs found in the rural areas for treatment. It does not have any side-effects and patients can avail them without paying exorbitant amounts,” the medical officer said and added, “If the government opens ayurvedic centres in the districts, then it would mainly benefit poorer patients.”

There are 15-ayurvedic dispensaries , three unani dispensaries and two homeopathic dispensaries in Ranchi district, but none of them are functioning properly.

None of the dispensaries have a proper building and are being run in small rooms under an asbestos roofing. Because of the absence of vehicles, doctors on duty are unable to make rounds and door-to-door visits. The doctors have to sit under the sweltering heat under the asbestos roofs during summer and most of the dispensaries have no fans either.

Moreover, there is an irregular supply of ayurvedic medicines. At present, the state government is providing medicine worth Rs 15,000 but medicine worth Rs one lakh is required in these dispensaries.

“It’s really difficult to sit in such a condition where there are no proper arrangements and no supply of regular medicines as well,” a doctor said. The state government has not allotted any residential quarters to the doctors of the ayurvedic dispensary.

President of Jharkhand Ayurvedic and Unani Medical Officers’ Association Sudama Prasad said: “Ayurveda is of immense help for poor patients because it is cheap and affordable, when compared to allopathy,” Prasad added.

Meanwhile, Ayurvedic Pharmacy Colleges, which were proposed in Sahebganj and Gumla, are also yet to take off. And no students have enrolled in the ayurvedic medical college opened in Chaibasa two years ago. The college has a principal and six professors but are waiting for students. No admissions have happened so far.

More informations here:
http://www.dreddyclinic.com/ayurvedic/ayurvedic.htm
http://www.dreddyclinic.com/education/education.htm