The two day International Conference on Unani Medicine organized by the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM) on the 150th birth anniversary of Hakim Ajmal Khan concluded here today. “Hakim Ajmal Khan was a multidimensional personality and his contributions to the freedom movement, education, literature, social reform, and systemization of Unani Medicine had been immense”, said Prof. Talat Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, Jamia Millia Islamia addressing the Function. He said that it is a matter of pleasure that the Ministry of AYUSH through the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine is celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of Hakim Ajmal Khan as Unani Day.
The CCRUM also distributed AYUSH Awards for Unani Medicine in recognition of contributions made by various Unani experts. The Best Research Paper Award was presented to Dr. N. Zaheer Ahmad for Literary Research, Dr. Shazia Anjum for Clinical Research and Dr. Nauman Saleem for Drug Research in Unani Medicine. The Young Scientist Award was conferred on Dr. Wasim Ahmad for Drug Research, Dr. Arshiya Sultana for Clinical Research and Dr. Bilal Ahmad for Literary Research in Unani Medicine. The Best Teacher Award was presented to Prof. Abdul Wadood for Drug Research and Prof. Mohd. Anwar for Clinical Research in Unani Medicine. The Lifetime Achievement Award was awarded to Prof. Gufran Ahmad for Best Researcher in Unani Medicine and Prof. Mohammad Muhiul Haque Siddiqui for Best Academician in Unani Medicine.
The CCRUM also released a Special Postal Cover with Special Cancellation through Department of Post to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Hakim Ajmal Khan and pay tribute to the savior of indigenous systems of medicine and pioneer of scientific research in Unani Medicine.
On this occasion, the Chief Guest released seven publications of CCRUM namely; National Unnai Morbidity Codes, Medicinal Plants in Folklores of Southern Indian, Part III, Muhit-i-Azam – Volume IV (Urdu translation), Minhaj al-Dukkan wa-Dustur al-A’yan fi A’mal wa Tarakib al-Adwiya al-Nafi’a li’l-Abdan, Hakim Ajmal Khan: A Man of Exceptions, Tajwiz-i Jalil, and A Handbook of Activities and Achievements of CCRUM.
Hakim Syed Khalifatullah, former Vice President, Governing Body, CCRUM applauded the Ministry of AYUSH and CCRUM for celebrating Unani Day and said that it should be celebrated throughout the world. He also said that the AYUSH systems should be developed in a more modern and scientific manner.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Rais-ur-Rahman, Advisor (Unani), Ministry of AYUSH said that the Government of India under the dynamic leadership of Shri Narendra Modi is making concerted efforts to promote and propagate Unani Medicine and other AYUSH systems and has created a separate ministry. He also said that the Ministry of AYUSH has facilitated CCRUM to start Ph.D. and MD courses in Unani Medicine in affiliation with Jamia Millia Islamia, Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences and University of Kashmir. He applauded the decision taken under the leadership of Shri Shripad Yesso Naik to observe 11th February as Unani Day saying that Hakim Ajmal Khan was the one who first brought Ayurveda and Unani systems under one roof and made commendable contribution to the development of Unani Medicine in India.
In her address, Dr. Vanitha R Murali Kumar, President, Central Council of Indian Medicine emphasized to work together for the promotion and propagation of AYUSH systems. He stressed the need to adopt modern technology for the development of indigenous medicine systems.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Pramod Kumar Pathak, Joint Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India laid emphasis on validation of traditional systems of medicine on scientific parameters.
Earlier in his welcome address, Dr. Anil Khurana, Director General, CCRUM traced the research and development activities in Unani Medicine right from 1920 and the contribution made by Hakim Ajmal Khan who spotted Dr. Salīm al-ZamānṢiddīqī, a chemist, for undertaking chemical studies on some important medicinal plants, used in Unani System of Medicine.
The two-day international conference had deliberations on various topics related to Integration of Unani Medicine in Mainstream Healthcare including Unani System of Medicine: A Model of Integration, Bringing Unani System of Medicine to the Global Front: Science, Industry & Regulations, From Plant to Molecule – Generating Evidence, Identifying Steps for Generating Evidence and Moving from Research to Practice, Recent Advances in ‘Ilāj bi’l-Tadbīr (Regimen Therapy), Challenges and Way Forward for Globalization and Market Development for Unani System of Medicine, Unani System of Medicine in Public Health/ Primary Healthcare Delivery, Education in Unani System of Medicine: Bridging the Gaps, Standardization and Quality Control, New Drug Development, Certification and Accreditation of Raw Materials, Products, Unani Professionals and Healthcare Infrastructure. The conference was attended by about 500 international and national participants and resource persons from the USA, the UK, Bahrain, UAE, Israel, China, Hungary, Slovenia, Bangla Desh, Sri Lanka, Portugal, South Africa and India. The conference proved an ample platform to academia, researchers, regulators, industry and students.
