Rs.550 crore given for alternate medicine systems: Azad

New Delhi, July 12 (IANS) More than Rs.550 crore have been given to various states for establishing centres for alternate medicine like homeopathy and ayurveda as part of the National Rural Health Mission, union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said Friday. For mainstreaming of alternate systems of medicine under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), grants-in-aid amounting to more than Rs.550 crore have been given to the state and Union Territory governments, Azad said, addressing a function here. The money would be used for establishment of new facilities of homeopathy, ayurveda, siddha and unani streams of medicine in 803 primary health centres, 113 community health centres and 24 district hospitals, and for upgradation of 379 such hospitals and 415 dispensaries. “We have a pluralistic healthcare delivery system, where the government provides opportunities to every recognised medical system to develop and be practised, with a view to provide integrated and holistic healthcare,” he said. “We are open to patronising best practices and proven standards for the benefit of the people. That is why naturopathy is also a recognised system in India,” he said. State governments like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have recognised naturopathy. Azad said India had incorporated traditional medical services in the public health delivery system since the 1960s. Source: Dainik-Disha

Back To Top

Tell-Us

Mother's values tied to baby's health

Washington, Dec 4 (IANS) The value an expectant mother places on her family can tell how healthy a baby is going to be three years later. These findings from University of Southern California (USC) suggest that one's culture is a resource that can provide tangible physical health benefits. "We know that social support has profound health implications. Yet in this case, this is more a story of beliefs than of actual family support," said Cleopatra Abdou, assistant professor at USC Davis School of Gerontology, the journal Social Science & Medicine reports. Abdou studied 4,633 socio-economically disadvantaged women, gauging their "familism" or, more specifically, their beliefs about familial roles and responsibilities, using a questionnaire, according to an USC statement. Familism was determined by responses to statements such as, "single moms can do just as well as married parents," or "it is better for children if their parents are married." Abdou then tracked the health of their children and found that for every one point increase in familism, there was a 71 gram increase in birth weight independent of a whole host of other factors-including the gender of the infant or whether the mother was married. Average birth weight in the United States is roughly 3.4 kg. Low birth weight, typically defined as under 2.5 kg, has been linked to health problems later in life. Higher familism also predicted lower rates of asthma in the children up to three years later. Though one might expect to see healthier children from mothers who reported strong family support, familism is a cultural measure that exists outside of an individual's actual circumstances. "Cultural beliefs and ideals can be distinct from one's present reality. Familism is about beliefs and ideals within families. That's why familism is referred to as a cultural resource," Abdou said.  Source: News Track India, Image: photobucket.com/

Back To Top

Tell-Us

Re-engineered toxins can treat asthma, arthritis

News Leaks: Millions suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, psoriasis and other diseases may find succour in an unexpected source — lethal toxins produced by the Clostridium botulinum bug, which cause a rare but severe form of food poisoning, could be re-engineered to benefit them, says a new American study. These lethal toxins are already being used in treating nerve disorders and facial wrinkles. Doctors inject small doses of these toxins to block the release of the neurotransmitters, or chemical messengers, that transmit signals from one nerve cell to another. These toxins break down a protein in nerve cells that mediates the release of neurotransmitters, disrupting nerve signals that cause pain, muscle spasms and other symptoms in certain diseases. That protein exists not just in nerve cells, but in other cells in the human body. However, these non-nerve cells lack the receptors needed for the botulinum toxins to enter and work. The team led by Edwin Champan, study investigator and professor, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, wanted to expand use of the botulinum toxins by hooking it to a molecule that can attach to receptors on other cells. Their lab experiments showed that these engineered botulinum toxins do work in non-nerve cells, blocking the release of a protein from immune cells linked to inflammation, which is the underlying driving force behind a range of diseases, according to a Howard Hughes statement. Such botulinum toxin therapy holds the potential in a range of chronic inflammatory diseases and perhaps other conditions, which could expand the role of these materials in medicine. People with such conditions undergo a great deal of suffering. Because the inflammation often cannot be fully controlled, the patient is constantly on medications, and he or she can experience pain, fatigue, digestive problems, and other symptoms caused by the inflammation and side effects from the drugs. Some examples of chronic inflammatory diseases include: celiac disease, vasculitis, lupus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), irritable bowel disease, atherosclerosis, arthritis, and psoriasis.Source: News Leaks, Image: flickr.com

Back To Top

Tell-Us