Homeopathy drives home care amid rush for health and wellbeing – ETHealthWorld

by Karan Bhargava

The coronavirus pandemic has been one of humanitys biggest crises. But it has brought marginal topics like health to the mainstream people and policymakers are discussing it more than ever. At this juncture, it is important for India to probe into the nature of health and care that Indians, susceptible to a host of chronic diseases, need before restructuring the healthcare system, now heavily inclined towards curing a disease. It is time to consider non-allopathic treatment modalities such as homeopathy to prove their mettle again and establish its reputation as a scientific pursuit aimed at holistic care so as to complement curative properties of modern medicine.

Homeopathy in India is a few centuries old and was first brought by German missionaries more than 200 years ago. However, it gained the royal patronage and followers in India in 1839 when John Honigberger, a Romanian homeopath and disciple of Samuel Hahnemann, the father of homeopathy, successfully treated Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the then ruler of Punjab, suffering from paralysis of the vocal cords with swelling of the feet through homeopathy. Mahendra Lal Sircar, the first Indian homeopathic physician, brought it under spotlight, leading to allopathic doctors adding homeopathic practice and establishment of the 'Calcutta Homeopathic Medical College', the first homeopathic medical college, in 1881.

Homeopathy as integrative medicineThe efficacy of homeopathic treatment has emerged as a potential complementing force to the allopathic medicine regime that is largely focused on curing a disease, and hence, is reactive in nature. Homeopathic treatment, on the other hand, is also proactive as it prevents illness as well as checks chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, depression, etc., promoting wellbeing. Having noted the benefits of homeopathy, the Western medical world has adopted an integrative medicine approach. India recognized homeopathy as one of the national systems of medicine in 1973 and established the Central Council of Homeopathy (CCH) to regulate education and practice, allowing only qualified registered homeopaths practice. Currently, homeopathy is the third most popular method of medical treatment in India after allopathy and Ayurveda. There are over 200,000 registered homeopathic doctors, with approximately 12,000 more being added annually. Yet, many Indians perceive homeopaths as a quack and struggle to accept homeopathy as a dependable alternative. Only a handful of insurers cover this discipline of treatment while limited observation of World Homeopathy Day on 10th April ensures it remains obscure.

(DISCLAIMER: The views expressed are solely of the author and ETHealthworld does not necessarily subscribe to it. ETHealthworld.com shall not be responsible for any damage caused to any person / organisation directly or indirectly.)

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Homeopathy drives home care amid rush for health and wellbeing - ETHealthWorld