At the State Convention of All India Unani Tibbi Congress (AIUTC) organised by West Bengal Unit recently, a startling discloser was revealed that there are 850 AYUSH dispensaries but only three Unani dispensaries in West Bengal.
– Radiance News Service
At the State Convention of All India Unani Tibbi Congress (AIUTC) organised by West Bengal Unit recently, a startling discloser was revealed that there are 850 AYUSH dispensaries but only three Unani dispensaries in West Bengal. The program was held at the Indian Science Hall, Kolkata on September 11 where all participants demanded from the state government to promote and develop Unani medicine.
During the program, the website of AIUMC was also launched.
Presiding over the programme, Dr. Mohammad Nizamuddin, president AIUTC, West Bengal Unit called upon the State government to increase the number of Unani dispensaries in government AYUSH dispensaries run by the AYUSH department and pave the way for appointment of Unani medical officers.
Dr. Syed Ahmed Khan, General Secretary AIUTC, has also served as Deputy Director, In-charge, Unani Medical Centre at Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi. He also served CCRUM for over 30 years and discharged his duties at various levels from Research Officer (Unani) to Deputy Director. While talking to radiancenews.com, he said, “The persons at the helm of affairs for Unani medicine have failed to intervene and put the case of Unani medicine to the government. I asked Dr Yunus, Director of Unani Research Institute, Kolkata and our coordinator to file an RTI, then the mismatch of dispensaries came to light. If those at the helm of affairs had put pressure on their MLAs and MPs to intervene in the assembly and Parliament, the things would have been different. In democracy, the more pressure you are able to build up, the greater would be the response.”
He added, “In Rajasthan too the situation was the same, but I intervened and asked local MLA to build pressure in this regard and things have changed now and there are more than 250 Unani dispensaries in the state and around 200 are in the process of getting finalised soon. We worked there for 10 years and intervened at all levels and the result is before all of us. We asked two BJP MLAs to raise the issue in assembly and then things gradually changed. The new team we have formed at many places are sensitive to the cause of Unani medicine and we hope they will work accordingly. In some other states like Gujarat and Uttarakhand, things are even worse than Bengal.”
Dr Khan further said, “Unani is a great source of employment opportunity and employment generation as well and all those who are in position should take it very seriously to ensure that great number of people are employed and can earn their living with the help of Unani medicine at state and national levels.”
On this occasion, it was unanimously reiterated that the Government Unani Medical College should be established and Unani OPD should be started in every district hospital of West Bengal. Dr. Syed Ahmed Khan and other noted personalities from the Unani field like Dr. M.A. Qasim, Dr. Imtiaz Hussain Jilani, Dr. Younus Iftikhar Munshi, Ahmed Minhajuddin, Dr. Obaidullah Baig, Dr. S.F. Kundu, etc. spoke on the occasion.
Hakeem Aftab Alam was honored in recognition of his medical services.
Participants at the state convention lamented that there is only one Unani medical college in the state and that too is not in a very good condition. The Guest of Honour Shah Jahan assured to do everything possible to fulfill all the demands.
AIUTC, West Bengal Unit General Secretary Hakeem Nazar Sadiq thanked Dr Mushtaq Ahmed, Dr Rafiq Ansari, Dr M A Khan for their special support.
AIUTC was established on 15 August 1989 and got registered on 9 August 1990. Its founder was Dr. AU Azmi (Alig) [Former Member of Parliament Lok Sabha].
