Skip to main content

Acupuncture as an Independent System of Medicine in India???


The aim of the Government of India, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is to provide reasonable healthcare to its entire population. Our own traditional methods like Ayurveda, Unani, Yoga and Naturopathy have been doing the same since time immemorial. Acupuncture is another traditional healing method from China which has been proven to be very efficacious and cost effective. I started practising Acupuncture after completing my MBBS in 1982 and now I am a full time practitioner of Medical Acupuncture since the last 32 years.
The process of getting Acupuncture recognised as an independent system of medicine started by me along with a few of my learned colleagues from all over the country with the formation of ‘National Coordination Committee of Acupuncture’ under my chairmanship.  This committee gave its first representation to Mr Dinesh Triwedi (State Health Minister, government of India) on 20th December, 2009.  The matter was then referred to ICMR, which requested us to submit relevant literature from various research journals on Acupuncture; which was submitted on 13th October 2010.  After continuous correspondence with the department concerned, the Department of Health Research, government of India, drafted a bill entitled ‘Recognition of New System of Medicine’, which has been cleared by the Health Ministry and is now with the cabinet.
Another interesting development has been the MoU signed between the Department of AYUSH and the Chinese government for promoting Acupuncture in India vis-a-vis yoga and naturopathy in China. This MoU is valid for a period of five years from January 14, 2013 onwards. However, there has been no forward movement in this regard. It will be in the best interest of both the countries to go ahead and promote their own traditional methods of healing and thus benefit millions of people.
The government of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, through its order dated November 25, 2003, recognised acupuncture as a ‘mode of therapy’ to be practiced only by qualified medical practitioner of any of five systems of Medicine (Allopathy, Homeopathy, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani and  Ayurveda) to which Dentistry has been included in 2014.  However, there is no regulatory council for such practitioners and hence quackery is on the rise. It is pertinent here that the government takes immediate steps to form an ‘Acupuncture Council’ and publish a list of such qualified practitioners all over the country to save the common man from quacks.
Recognition of Acupuncture as an independent system of medicine will clear the road for setting up of proper courses in our country for treating the science. The cooperation agreement signed between India and China can be used to good effect by utilising the knowledge of the Chinese experts in sharing their experiences and teaching doctors in India.
http://www.newindianexpress.com/lifestyle/health/Acupuncture-as-an-Independent-System-of-Medicine-in-India/2014/11/08/article2512756.ece

This seems like a reply to the WHO message.  He is claiming an approach that no other country does.  Acupuncture is linked to other systems of medicine which have nothing whatever to do with acupuncture or Chinese medicine.  He gives no legitimacy to independent acupuncture schools, unlike most other countries. Only secondary schools are allowed---based on very different medical theories.  Medical theories become social privilege only.  Most countries will have no sympathy with this approach----except Russia and Saudi Arabia.        MIKE  







Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Barrier Free Service : Use of ear acupuncture for treatment and rehabilitation of drug users at NISD

National Institute of Social Defence  (NISD), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Govt. of India invited Nada India team to conduct a mini workshop on  Barrier Free Service : Use of ear acupuncture for treatment and rehabilitation of drug users . NISD has been  organising  3 Months Certificate Course on De-addiction Counselling and  Rehabilitation  from 12th March to 10th June 2012 at NISD R.K.Puram , New  Delhi. Dr.Uttam Singh conducting a training cum acudetox session  Dr.Uttam skilled hand in action with NADA acupuncture for well being   This  training  course is to enhance the capacity of service providers  (Project Incharge/Counsellors/Social Workers from different parts of India like Kerala,Chattisgarh, Zharkhand,U.P.Nagaland, Shilong,Karnataka,Maharashtra,Tamilnadu, Mizoram,Maharashtra ,Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi ) of NGOs working in the area of ...
Read more

A statement about Michael Smith by his family

  * A statement about Michael Smith We are respectfully submitting this history as we, his family, experienced it. We hope it is helpful. Deborah Valentine Smith I recently attended an excellent webinar on t he African American History of Acupuncture by  Dr.  Tenisha Dandridge, hosted by Acupuncturists without Borders. The history of Lincoln Hospital and Lincoln Detox in the 1970’s was of special interest to me,  as I participated in much of it and may have a unique perspective, as I was married to Mike Smith at the time. While I appreciated much of the history shared in this Webinar, I can’t agree with a couple of the statements about Mike. The statement in Dr. Dandridge’s presentation that “he did not approve of the politics brought with the free clinics,” makes it sound like Mike did not approve of the free clinics themselves. Mike’s history as a medical student and doctor was all about free clinics. Mike started working with the Black Panther Party when...
Read more

'NADA acupuncture is a public health model... says Dr. Michael.O. Smith

'NADA acupuncture is a public health model that adds a valuable component to the behavioral health fields', says Dr. Michael.O. Smith, Some were dozing off;some with  drooping.heads;some in a sort of trance;some snoring off. They all had one thing in common- sterilized  acupuncture  needles carefully pierced in one of  their ears. It was a cloudy and chilly  February afternoon in Delhi. Even some of the large contingent of journalists who routinely take the flights of steps at the reception of the I N S building in Rafi Marg were inquisitive. A couple of them were led to the few vacant seats so were some of the non journalists INS staff. Acupuncture Detoxification specialist and associates and assistant  inserted needles in their ears with care and precisely without hurting them. Presiding over this demonstration was Dr. Michael.O.Smith,Chairperson NADA International...
Read more