Unani Medicine is a holistic system of treatment which treats whole person including his mental and physical ailments rather than just the symptoms. This system of treatment has a treasure of effective medicines only the quacks have spoiled its image.
This was stated yesterday by Hakim Rizwan Hafeez Malik, former president of National Council for Tibb while he, as a chief guest, was addressing the concluding session of 2-day symposium, organized by Faculty of Eastern Medicine, Hamdard University on theme ‘Challenges and opportunities for Unani Medicine in Contemporary World’, at Bait al-Hikmah auditorium, Madinat al-Hikmah, Karachi.
He further said that we did nothing to improve Unani Medicine and the result was now before us. However, if moved further, taking inspiration from Hakim Said’s vision, we could make a difference, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Navaid ul Zafar, Trustee, Hamdard (Waqf) Pakistan said that shunning our differences, if we jointly made efforts to create new knowledge in Unani Medicine, as Hakim Said wanted to than we would be successful in placing it on its due place in the world of medical science. He urged the students and physicians of Unani Medicine to share their experiments and knowledge with others in this symposium to promote their system of medicine which was under pressure due to the Drug Regulatory Act (DRA) that was a challenge and opportunity as well.
Prof. Dr. Shabeebul Hasan, Vice Chancellor, Hamdard University while offering vote of thanks said that we should keep alive to the vision of Hakim Said which was a great source of inspiration for us.
Earlier, in scientific sessions participants of the symposium read their informative papers. Prof. Dr. Ahsana Dar emphasized on the ‘need of Unani Medicine to be evidence based’. Dr. Sumaira Ishaq spoke on ‘Potential of Natural Remedies in feminine disorder’. Prof. Dr. Raheela Najam spoke on ‘Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory effects of Beetroot juice. Dr. Huma spoke on ‘Quality attributes of herbs and herbal products as per WHO guidelines.
Prof. Dr. Ghazala Hafeez Rizwani while presenting her paper on ‘A future challenge: Drug interaction with Herbal Medicine’ said that Unani medicine had their reaction and if there would be no action – no cure.
Highlighting the curing power of some daily use herbs, she said they were medicines and foods as well and our kitchen was a pharmaceutical industry – we should utilize it to keep ourselves healthy and smart.
Dr. Hakim Asif Iqbal while presenting his paper on “Treatment of Psoriasis with Unani Medicine (Natural Products) said that the disease of Psoriasis started from foot and spread to whole body and there was no final treatment of this disease has been invented yet. However, Unani Medicine had some treatment as Roghan-i-Neem and Laboob-i-Saqhir gave some relief.
Hakim abdul Bari while throwing some light on ‘Drug Regulatory Act Pakistan (DRAP) said that this law would give benefit to Unani Medicine as it would strengthen its identity and regulate its medicine and get this system rid of quacks who damaged its image and name.
He told the new physicians of Unani Medicine that they would get more opportunities to go up in near future and they should take advantage out of that chances.
Psychologist Hakim Faisal Siddiqui while presenting his paper on ‘Broken Brain Waiting: Unani Medicine is the solution for Mental Health’ said that the importance of Unani Medicine was evident from this fact that 423 herbal medicines ware being manufactured in USA.
Hakim Mohammed Amjad Chishti informed the audience that he had made an ointment, based on herbal medicine and named it Dermovix which was more effective than the allopathic Ointment – Betnovate as he successfully used his ointment – Dermovix on his patients in Shifaul Mulk Memorial Hospital, Karachi.
Dr. Maria Khan while presenting his paper on ‘Herbal drugs in Diabetes: A major crippling disease in low income people’ said that diabetes was no more a disease of the rich now as the poor were becoming more victim of this disease and if the situation continued the number of diabetics would be double by 2035 in Pakistan.
