Da Homöopathie weltweit eingesetzt wird, schaue ich im Homoeopathiewatchblog auch immer wieder über den deutschen Tellerrand in andere Länder.
Indien ist das Land der Superlative für Homöopathie, z.b. nutzen 2 Millionen Ärzte die Therapie. Mich interessiert, wie es zu der besonderen Stellung der Homöopathie in Indien kommt und welche Rolle sie in der alltäglichen Gesundheitsversorgung spielt. Dazu befragte ich für den Homoeopathiewatchblog Dr. Sudin Kumar als Homöopathie-Experten. Er ist homöopathischer Arzt, Advisor im Editorial Board der Indian Homeopathic Medical Association (IHMA) und ehemaliger Generalsekretär des Verbandes.
Dr. Kumar besuchte kürzlich mit einer großen Gruppe von indischen Ärzten Torgau. Sie reisten extra zu Samuel Hahnemanns Geburtstag am 10. April nach Deutschland, um ihre 2. Internationale IHMA-Konferenz im Internationalen Torgauer Hahnemann-Zentrum (IHZT) zu veranstalten. Über den Besuch berichtet die Heilpraktikerin und IHZT-Vereinsvorsitzende Carola Scheuren ausführlich auf der Facebook-Seite des Vereins (Link).
Indien ist für homöopathisch Interessierte wichtig: Die Stellung der Homöopathie in Indien ist viel höher als in Deutschland. Von den 1,3 Milliarden Indern nutzen über 60 % regelmäßig Homöopathie als Erst-Therapie. Zwei Millionen Ärzte für Homöopathie versorgen die Patienten. An 200 medizinischen homöopathischen Zentren werden sie über fünf Jahre ausgebildet. Wichtige Forschungsarbeiten der letzten Jahre entstanden hier in zahlreichen Forschungszentren – inkl. Kongress darüber in New Delhi im April. Ein eigenes Ministerium u.a. für Homöopathie sorgt für Unterstützung.
Indien entwickelt sich immer mehr zum wichtigsten Motor der Homöopathie weltweit in Praxis und Forschung. Und Indien ist weltweit das Land mit den meisten Patienten, die Homöopathie anwenden.
Hier mein Interview für den Homoeopathiewatchblog mit Dr. Sudin Kumar:
Christian J. Becker: I am interested in how you as a doctor mainly use homeopathy in India. Which diseases do you treat, what does the treatment look like, who pays for the treatment? What position does homeopathy have with doctors and hospitals?
Dr. Sudin Kumar: „I am practising homeopathy for the past 25 years ever since I graduated from Government Homeopathic Medical College, Calicut from my home state Kerala in India. I have my private practice in my home town. The people’s awareness about the homeopathy medical system is such that they depend on homeopathy for all their primary healthcare needs and if I put it in brief, from common cold to cancer. I get all types of acute and chronic cases, from acute emergency to chronically ill patients. Sometimes certain cases cannot be managed by homeopathy and such cases I refer to a higher centre of modern medicine. It could sometimes be a heart attack or stroke and the like. Such is the acceptance and trust the people have on a homeopathic physician in India. The homeopathic physicians in India are institutionally qualified medical professionals and they are competent enough to diagnose, manage and refer cases that come to them. People have faith in the expertise of the homeopathic physician and the effectiveness of homeopathic medicines.
People know that homeopathy is safe, simple, effective and cost effective. Here in India people have the option to receive treatment from Government dispensaries and hospitals as well as from private practitioners. In Government institutions treatment is free of charge and in private clinics, the patient has to bear the cost of treatment. But it is very less when compared to the expense incurred when taking modern medicine treatment. Insurance coverage in homeopathy system is available for a few select chronic ailments only.
If I am to explain the status of homeopathy in my home state of Kerala, I should say that the state Government is supporting the homeopathy system very well. We have Government owned dispensaries (single doctor clinics) and hospitals on par with modern medicine and the treatment is free of cost. There are a few private homeopathy hospitals but the intake is very less, maximum 20 beds. Patients are ready to pay for the private practitioners for their services as they are satisfied with the result they get. In Kerala we have around 2000 homeopaths working in the Government sector and more than 10,000 in private sector.
From new born to the old and bedridden patients approach a homeopathy physician for their ailments. Medicine without side effects goes well with the patients and those who experienced the efficacy and swiftness of homeopathy treatment will always depend on it for all their healthcare needs. The success of speciality clinics introduced in Government clinics speaks a lot about the effectiveness of homeopathy treatment in managing infertility, geriatric, female and adolescent complaints and paediatric issues. Government of Kerala has opened a 50 bed hospital exclusively for managing cancer cases. The efficacy of homeopathy in managing cancer is not new found. But it has proven better with new facilities that are made available. It is effective in curing early stages of cancer and managing end stage cases where relief of pain is of prime importance.
The effectiveness of homeopathy medicines has prompted advanced research in this field. Both at the institutional and individual level research programmes are progressing and a few promising results have emerged. How homeopathy medicines act has remained a non answered question for a long time. But research on the action of homeopathic ultra dilutions at the cellular level has started answering these questions and the effectiveness of homeopathy medicines are proved many times.“
Christian J. Becker: What feedback do you as a doctor receive from your patients about the success of the treatment?
Dr. Sudin Kumar: „The feedback from patients have always been encouraging. Patients always tell the swiftness and the ease with which a cure has taken place. That it is easy to administer makes it more acceptable to infants and children. There are patients in my list who have not tasted the conventional medicine in their life time. With homeopathy medicines, a cure is a cure and the complaint will not recur. The cost effectiveness is another feature which help them a lot in planning their personal budget. The patients are amazed when the so called incurable cases and their recurring illnesses are cured forever with homeopathy. More than 60% of the Indian population depend on homeopathy for their primary healthcare needs.“
Christian J. Becker: How are you as a doctor supported by the Indian health system in the field of homeopathy?
Dr. Sudin Kumar: „Here in India Homeopathy was legalised in early 1950s through a bill in the Indian Parliament and education in this new therapeutic system was initiated a few years later. India has a separate ministry for all the alternative medicine streams at the Government of India called the Ministry of AYUSH ( Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Sidha and Homeopathy). Among these Ayurveda, Unani and Sidha are traditional Indian systems and Yoga is an ancient way of living with physical, mental and spiritual practices. Homeopathy is the only alien system under this group. But it is the top ranking alternative system in India now.
We have more than 200 medical schools imparting graduation in homeopathy with a five and half year curriculum. Post graduation and doctoral studies have been initiated in majority of these institutions. These medical institutions are controlled by the Medical Universities in each state. India has more than 2 million institutionally qualified homeopathy physicians who are catering to the healthcare needs of a sizeable population. Each state has a medical council where these practitioners have to register before they can initiate practice and there are stringent laws to be adhered to.
With the creation of AYUSH ministry enough funding is now available for these systems. The Government has instituted a research body, Central Council for Research in Homeopathy (CCRH) for undertaking research in the field of homeopathy. The Government has initiated setting up Indian Institute of Homeopathic Medicine at New Delhi at a cost of 300 crore which is envisaged as a Centre of Excellence in the field of homeopathy. Post graduate studies and doctoral and post doctoral research will come under one umbrella and homeopathy system will get a facelift when this institution becomes fully operational.“
Christian J. Becker: You also travel to Germany, e.g. for your congress in Torgau. What significance do these trips have for you in Germany? You also support the international Hahnemann Centre in Torgau. What significance does this centre have for you?
Dr. Sudin Kumar: „As everybody knows, Germany is the birthplace of Homeopathy. Dr. Samuel Hahnemann introduced the new therapeutic system in 1796 with the publication of “Organon of Rational Healing”. He had to face stiff resistance from the orthodox society but it was not long before he had a few followers and he started developing the system. Within no time homeopathy reached the whole of Europe and Americas. But it took more than 100 years before it reached India through the German missionaries. Since then homeopathy had a tremendous growth in India and it is now the country with the largest number of practitioners and medical schools in homeopathy all over the world. Even though India nurtured homeopathy to its highest level, the roots still remain in Germany. So it’s always a pleasure and eagerness for an Indian homeopath to see the early days of homeopathy in Germany. To see the original manuscripts and medicine chest of Dr. Hahnemann, his other utensils, his homes in Torgau (where homeopathy was literally born) and Kothen which are still maintained by the German homeopaths is a lifetime wish of an Indian homeopath.
But it is very sad that the place where homeopathy was born is neglecting this wonderful system with no medical schools to teach homeopathy. Still it is heartening to see homeopathy still prevails in Germany with dedicated private practitioners. For us Indian homeopaths, a visit to Torgau, Kothen, Meissen or Leipzig is a journey down the ages understanding how Dr. Hahnemann strived hard to develop this wonderful therapeutic system.
Since 2015 a big group of Indian homeopaths under the banner of IHMA (Indian Homeopathic Medical Association) assemble at Torgau to celebrate Dr. Hahnemann’s birth anniversary on 10th of April every year along with German homeopaths. Personally I feel proud to have led the group for three years. It is our tribute to the great man who has presented us with such a noble therapeutic system by virtue of which we are able to treat our people for their ailments in a gentle, safe and effective way.
We have financially supported the activities of International Hahnemann Centre, Torgau and we consider it our privilege to do so. The people at IHZT like Ms. Carola Scheuren, Mr. Siegfried Letzel, Mr. Georg von Nessler, Mr. Andreas, Ms. Sabine Koch, Ms. Betina, Mr. Ulf to name a few have taken great pains for maintaining the articles of the Hahnemann era even though facing severe constraints. We just reciprocate with a humble gesture since we make a decent living with homeopathy in India. I know we have miles to go before we reach the goal but we always strive forward with good hope!“
Interview partner: Dr. Sudin Kumar. V,
Homeopathic Consultant,
Former Secretary General, IHMA,
Former Editor in Chief, Homeopathic Medical Panorama.
Foto Titel: Dr. Sudin Kumar (Quelle: Privat)
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