(a) whether encouraging results have come in checking AIDS, Cancer and other contagious diseases through Ayurvedic and Homoeopathy system of medicine;
(b) if so, whether the Government have decided to encourage these systems of medicines; and
(c) if so, the steps proposed to be taken to promote this system of medicine?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (PROF. RITA VERMA)
(a): The Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, an Autonomous Body under the Department of Indian systems of Medicine & Homoeopathy, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, is conducting research on HIV/AIDS at their clinical Research Centres in Mumbai, Chennai and New Delhi. Up to April, 2000, 1030 HIV/AIDS infected persons have been included for clinical study. According to the Council the initial feed back of the research has shown that HIV/AIDS patients, who were treated with Homoeopathy medicines, have shown a symptomatic and general improvement in health. At present, 625 HIV/AIDS patients are regularly coming up for check up and the treatment given under Homoeopathy is being evaluated further.
(b)&(c): The Government have set up a separate Department of Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy (ISM&H) in 1995 and is taking steps to assist Government colleges to upgrade educational standards, laying standards to improve the quality and efficacy of drugs, so that they follow the pharmacopoeial standards and Good Manufacturing Practices. A few Ayurvedic and Unani drugs have been included under the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) Programme, besides speciality clinics of Ayurveda, Unani and Homoeopathy have been opened in allopathic hospitals of the Central Government. Emphasis is also being placed on building awareness about the efficacy of the systems, besides encouraging intra-mural and extra-mural research in to the development of drugs under each system of medicine.