At a time when some state governments in the country are contemplating on training Ayush doctors to prescribe allopathic medicines to address the surging healthcare needs of the people, especially in rural areas, a Chennai based Siddha scientist has commented that governments should not go to that extreme step as the move will help spoil the main stream system of medicines the Ayush doctors learned.

Stating that the traditional Siddha healing system has its own integrity and efficacy. Dr S Ranganathan, the scientist and director of ClinRise Derma Pvt Ltd, Chennai, says that many of the private Siddha practitioners, despite their high educational qualifications, do not properly understand the fundamentals of Siddha medicines and its approaches towards healthcare management. Or else, they would not raise the question of right and legitimacy for prescribing allopathic medicines for their patients.

The Siddha scientist was responding to the rising legal cases against Ayush doctors, alleging practice of quackery, in various parts of the country by allopathic medical associations, and their vitriolic criticisms against traditional medical systems of the country for some meagre cases of allopathic prescriptions by some Ayush doctors. He wants the Siddha community to stick on to heir own treatment method as it is very much holistic and efficacy proven.

According to him, Siddha system of medicine primarily focuses on correcting the imbalances in the human system and thereby brings about the wellbeing.  The system rarely uses the words ‘treatment’ or ‘cure’ of a disease, rather it goes by the approach of restoring the health and well being of the patients. The Siddha method always approaches the problem holistically than seeing the problem in isolation. Its approach is so natural, blended with nature and always goes with nature. That is why, it considers even the food as medicine – ‘Unavae Marunthu’.

He says that the Siddha clinicians who have not understood and believed in this strong philosophy and tenets of the time tested system of medicine are the ones who prescribe allopathic drugs and destroying the system. It appears that some institutionally qualified Siddha private practitioners instead of having self-confidence and belief in the ancient system of medicine they have studied (BSMS, MD-Siddha), are going after prescribing allopathic drugs, he alleged.

He further alleges that because of inclusion of some chapters of modern medicines in the syllabuses of UG and PG programs, the institutionally qualified Siddha private practitioners fight for their right to prescribe allopathic drugs. This shows that they lack sufficient knowledge in the fundamentals of the system of medicine they have studied. It also means that they do not know what they have studied for 5 – 7 years and what it is for. If they are allowed to prescribe allopathic drugs what would be the fate of their patients, Dr. Ranganathan, Siddha scientist asks and he himself replies that the patients as well as the Siddha medical system will die.

Both the state and union government are spending considerable amount of tax payers’ money to support, sustain and develop Siddha system. National Institute of Siddha in Chennai and the Central Council of Research in Siddha are constituted only for developmental purpose of this traditional method. Dr. Ranganathan wants the government not to allow Ayush practitioners practice allopathy because if they are trained to prescribe allopathic drugs, their main stream system of medicine would spoil itself.