‘Disease burden can be reduced by recognising system of Eastern medicine’

Pakistan’s disease burden can be drastically decreased by recognising and patronising the system of ‘Eastern medicine’, which is not only the preferred choice of treatment for over 70 per cent of the people in the country but it is also affordable and more effective than the modern medicinal system.

“University-trained and qualified practitioners of Eastern medicine can help in lowering the disease burden to a large extent in Pakistan where a vast majority of people cannot afford the medical treatment at private hospitals while public sector healthcare facilities are overburdened,” said Hamdard University Vice Chancellor Prof Shabib ul Hasan while talking to journalists at his office.

Hamdard University is the only institute of higher education which started offering a bachelor’s degree course in Eastern medicine, but soon it launched master’s, MPhil and PhD programmes in the field of Eastern or Unani medicine. It also increased its collaboration with other universities in the country as well as with institutes of alternate medicines in China, Japan, South Africa and several other countries of the world.

Accompanied by the dean faculty of Eastern Medicine, Prof Dr Ejaz Mohiuddin, Prof Malahat Kaleem Sherwani, Amir Saeed Khan, Dr Asif Iqbal and Dr Tasneem Qureshi, the vice chancellor of Hamdard University also visited the Shifa-ul-Mulk Memorial Hospital near Madinat-ul-Hikmat on the Northern Bypass, where a free medical camp for the people of adjoining localities and villages was under way.

“The Faculty of Eastern Medicine has so far produced 12 PhDs and 29 MPhil scholars, who are not only practising the Eastern medicines in Pakistan, but also serving abroad. We are collaborating with professional institutes of alternate medicines in China, Japan, South Africa and other countries to promote the system of Eastern medicine in the entire world,” Prof Shabib ul Hasan said.

Hundreds of patients, including women and children, were offered free consultation for the treatment of various ailments, including diabetes, stomach ailments, hypertension, cancer, viral hepatitis, gynecological issues and psychiatric illnesses among people of all ages, while they were also provided with free medicines and remedies based on the system of Eastern medicine.

“Hakims or practitioners of Easter medicine are more cooperative and humble as compared to other doctors. They listen to you sympathetically, give medicines and also advise on what to eat and what should not be consumed. Half of the illness is gone when somebody talks to you in a polite manner,” said Allah Bux, a shop owner who visited the free medical camp to the management of his diabetes.

The Hamdard University vice chancellor said that although the system of Unani or Eastern medicine had solutions to 80-90 per cent of diseases and health issues facing the nation, this system was not being recognised by the federal and provincial governments at a time when India and China were not only recognising the systems of alternate medicines, but also establishing hospitals of alternate medicines and providing jobs to practitioners.

“Unfortunately in Pakistan, students are not sure whether they would be able to find a job or not despite studying government-approved and recognised bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate-level courses in the area of Eastern medicines. We hope that government would look into this issue and provide jobs to these highly trained and qualified youth,” Prof Hasan maintained.

The dean faculty of Eastern Medicine, Prof Ejaz Mohiuddin, said unprecedented research was being carried out by the students of Hamdard University in the area of Eastern medicines and this research was helping people in getting rid of their chronic diseases, including liver and stomach ailments, various types of cancers, neurological and psychiatric ailments and various other disorders of body and mind.

“Our students and scholars are applying this research to reduce the misery and burden of disease from the society. Millions of people are benefitted by these practitioners, who are not only educated and trained on scientific grounds but also follow the centuries-old traditions of the East.”

The principal of the Hamdard Eastern Medicine College, Dr Tasneem Qureshi, was of the opinion that the government should provide a level playing field to all systems of medicines, and patients should have the right to go wherever they wanted for the treatment and cure of their diseases.