Following a tie-up with the universities in Sri Lanka, the Centre for Traditional Medicines and Research (CTMR) in Chennai has provided 10 days intensive training in various methods of traditional treatment to 140 native Tamil Siddha practitioners in the northern and eastern provinces of the island nation.

The training was part of a continuous medical education (CME) programme being conducted by the universities every year. This is the second time, Siddha experts from CTMR were invited to Sri Lanka by the Lankan government.

A team of eight specialists in various therapies led by the secretary of CTMR, Dr. T Thirunarayanan conducted training classes in two Siddha colleges on the invitation of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medicine in Sri Lanka. The program lasted for ten days. The Northern Provincial Council of the government has sponsored the programme.

Students, faculties and practitioners of two siddha medical colleges running BSMS course attended the program. The institutions are the Siddha units at the University of Jaffna and at the Eastern University in Trincomalee. Siddha physicians working in the Siddha hospitals, teaching staff, Siddha medical officers working in the district hospitals & central dispensaries, medical officers from the rural hospitals and from local health centres were also participants.

According to Dr. Thirunarayanan, the participants were trained in developing a Standard Treatment Protocol (STP), methods for managing non-communicable diseases and life-style diseases, maternal care, varma therapy, pulse diagnosis and adolescent care. Dr. Padmapriya, president of CTMR and expert in Siddha gynaecology took classes in threes sessions on antenatal and postnatal care.

Dr. PK Parthibhan from Swabhiman Trust, Dr. Siddiq Ali from Government Siddha Medical College in Chennai and Dr. S K Sasi from National Institute of Siddha in Chennai accompanied Dr. Padmapriya and Dr. Thirunarayanan.

While speaking to Pharmabiz, the experts who visited Sri Lanka said the Siddha College at the Eastern University in Trincomalee teaches Siddha system in English language. According to Dr. Thirunarayanan this is the only institute in the world Siddha is taught in English. At Shanthigiri Siddha Medical College at Thiruvananthapuram, the system is taught in Tamil and in English. All over Tamil Nadu the medium is Tamil only.

To a question, the secretary of CTMR said availability of Siddha drugs all over the island nation is very limited and the only manufacturer is a government company.