To set bones after snake bites, traditional ‘doctors’ get seal of quality – Gudstory

“They have the expertise and experience, but they do not have any qualification or formal degree and this stands in the way of their social acceptance,” said one of them. The government, through its autonomous certification body, the Quality Council of India, said: “Plan to certify these people who have the necessary skills and qualifications for the profession they are doing.”

The second official said the objective behind certifying traditional community health practitioners is to validate their practices and increase their income. Both officials refused to reveal their identities.

There is a shortage of physicians practicing modern medicine in India, and practitioners of alternative medicine are relied upon to bridge this gap, especially in remote areas. Earlier this year, the government informed the Lok Sabha that while there were about 1.3 million allopathic doctors, including traditional medicine practitioners, in India, the country’s doctor-population ratio was 1:834, which was better than the World Health Organization’s standard of 1:1,000. Is.

Traditional or alternative medicines are overseen by the Ministry of AYUSH, which stands for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy.

As Mint reported on December 3, the government is also working towards designing integrated protocols for modern medicine and traditional Indian healing systems. In view of the suspicion that traditional medicine, though more accessible, is not evidence-based, the Ministry is also developing research-based treatment systems for various diseases.

The health, AYUSH and commerce ministries did not respond to queries on the government’s plan to provide certification to community healthcare providers.

Apart from AYUSH practitioners, traditional community health service providers play an important role in meeting the medical needs of people, especially in rural areas, and constitute a unique group of community-supported paramedical health workers recognized by the Ministry of AYUSH .

Their services cover a wide range of ailments ranging from general primary health care related ailments to jaundice, joint pain, dislocations, childbirth and management of animal or reptile bites.

“Traditional health practitioners are taken advantage of by every community. “Apart from the poor and people living in rural areas, other sections are also benefiting from this,” said Dr Ritu Priya, professor of public health at the Center of Social Medicine and Community Health, Jawaharlal Nehru University.

“QCI has a very robust mechanism to certify their experiences. There is a minimum grade and after their work is evaluated, they get certification, which is voluntary in nature,” said Priya, adding, “Those who lack experience are recommended for training in institutes identified by QCI. Is performed.”

Aviral Mathur, president of the Federation of Resident Doctors Association, suggested implementing rigorous training programs as per recently established medical knowledge to strike a balance between tradition and modern standards.

“We appreciate the government’s effort to certify community health care practitioners for traditional remedies, with emphasis on the preservation of valuable knowledge. Regular evaluation, collaboration with qualified health care professionals, and adherence to evidence-based practices will enhance the reliability and safety of these treatments.”

Homeopathic physician Dr Ashish Kumar Jaiswal said the government’s decision will not only provide an opportunity to practitioners of Indian folk medicine to upgrade their knowledge but will also help in weeding out disabled persons.

“An effort should be made to provide a platform to all those who are experts in their traditional and folk remedies for diseases and can share their knowledge and experience,” said Jaiswal, chief medical officer (homeopathy) at Central. Government Health Scheme Welfare Centre. “At the same time, they should have the opportunity to get their claims scientifically validated to receive appropriate promotion and recognition.”