Establishment of the Ministry of AYUSH in 2014 a Major and Commendable Step by the Government of India: Prof. Mushtaq Ahmad
New Delhi: The national executive meeting of All India Unani Tibbi Congress (AIUTC) was held under the chairmanship of Prof. Mushtaq Ahmad at the Tasmia Auditorium here yesterday. Reports from 25 states were presented, highlighting a particularly dire situation for Unani medicine in West Bengal. Although the state government had announced the establishment of a Government Unani Medical College in 2010, no action has been taken to date. Furthermore, since 1998, no new appointments of Unani Medical Officers or the establishment of new Unani dispensaries have occurred in the state.
The meeting emphasised that the Delhi Government must develop a plan for the promotion of Unani medicine in line with the Ministry of AYUSH, given that the capital serves as a model for all other states. It was noted with concern that no Deputy Director (Unani) has yet been appointed in the AYUSH department of Delhi, nor have significant steps been taken for the promotion and development of Unani medicine. In contrast, considerable progress has been made in promoting Ayurveda, with continued planning and initiatives.
In his presidential address, Prof. Mushtaq Ahmad praised the establishment of the Ministry of AYUSH in 2014 by the Government of India as a significant and commendable step. He urged all state governments to ensure the appointment of Deputy Director-level officers for Unani medicine in their respective AYUSH departments, just as is done for Ayurveda.
Dr. S.G.V. Satya, National Vice President of the Technical Wing of the Tibbi Congress, highlighted the challenges faced by private AYUSH practitioners. She noted that only about 2% are employed in government services, while 98% are private practitioners whose concerns require urgent and focused attention. She pointed out that state governments often do not respond satisfactorily to notifications issued by the NCISM (National Commission for Indian System of Medicine), leading to persistent confusion. Additionally, registration fees for AYUSH doctors vary from state to state, and in some states, the registration is valid for only one year, although it should ideally be valid for five years.
On this occasion, Dr. Syed Farooq, a prominent personality from Delhi, addressed Unani doctors, emphasising the need for greater use of quality medicines and strict adherence to ethical medical principles.
Speakers at the meeting included Prof. Mohammad Idris (Former Principal, A&U Tibbia College, New Delhi), Prof. S.M. Arif Zaidi (Former Dean of Unani, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi), Dr. Laiq Ali Khan, Dr. Abdus Salam Falahi, Dr. Suleman Khan, Dr. Qamaruddin Zakir, Dr. Shakeel Ahmad, Dr. Abdus Salam Khan, Dr. Ilyas Mazhar Husain, Dr. Tayyab Anjum, Dr. Mohammad Arshad Ghiyas, Dr. Aizaz Ali Qadri, Hakeem Rashadul Islam, Dr. Anwar Jamal, and Dr. Mufti Javed Anwar, among others.
Dr. Syed Ahmad Khan, Secretary General of the All India Unani Tibbi Congress, compered the programme and presented a summary of the provincial reports.
Key attendees included Advocate Shah Jabeen Qazi, Dr. Shahnaz Parveen, Dr. Zakiuddin, Dr. Ehsan Ahmad Siddiqui, Dr. Faizan Ahmad Siddiqui, Dr. Mohammad Arif Saifi, Dr. Faheem Malik, Dr. Shakeel Ahmad Hapurvi, Dr. Asif Malik, Hakeem Aftab Alam, Dr. Raj Kumar, Dr. Nasir Ali Chaudhry, Dr. Khurshid Alam, Dr. Mohammad Akram, Dr. Altaf Ahmad, Hakeem Naeem Raza, Hakeem Yasir, Dr. Athar Mahmood, Dr. Uzair Bokai, Dr. Mirza Asif Baig, Hakeem Mazahir Nasir, Dr. Thabat Ahmad Tyagi, Dr. Mohammad Kashif, Dr. Mohammad Yunus Usmani, Hakeem Mohammad Murtaza Dehlavi, Mohammad Owais, Dr. Mohammad Aftab Zia Lodhi, Mrs. Nilofer Shaista, Dr. Abdul Majeed, Dr. Kashif Siddiqui, Dr. Ahmad Rana, Dr. Rashid Husain, Dr. Shamsuddin Azad, Dr. Farman Ali, and Mohammad Imran Qannauji.
At the event, the 34th anniversary special issue of Nawa-e-Tibb-o-Sehat (Allahabad) and the 10th issue of Lodhi Risala (Nagpur) were also released.
At the conclusion of the meeting, condolences and prayers were offered for the recent passing of Prof. Mohammad Aslam (New Delhi), Dr. Shafiq Ahmad Ansari (Mumbai), Hakeem Maulana Abdur Razzaq Qasmi Qureshi (Ahmedabad), and Hakeem Shababuddin (President, Dawakhana, Delhi).
