:: REPORT ON WORKSHOP ON AIDS PREVENTION UNDER SIDDHA MEDICINAL SYSTEM :: held at GANDEEPAM on 7th and 8th December - 2002

Introduction
Every day the rate of HIV/AIDS transmission is increasing not only in the urban communities but also among the rural people in India. So far no medicinal system is said to be adopted for AIDS prevention and treatment. The traditional Siddha Medical Practitioners have reportedly cured persons with HIV+ using treatments with medicinal plants. This program designed for the celebration of World AIDS Day 2002, provided a platform for the Traditional Siddha Practitioners, known as Naattu-Vaidhyars, and other interested persons to exchange their views and share their experience gained in attempting treatment for HIV/AIDS. This programme was held for two days on 7th and 8th December 2002. Sixty persons participated, including Traditional Medical Practitioners, Graduate Siddha Doctors, Researchers and NGO activists.

On 07-Dec-2002
After registration by 10:30am, the Workshop was started with Prayer and inaugurated by Mr.C.Jaganathan, Director, ANSA, Tiruchirappalli, by lighting the traditional Kuthuvilakku. Mr.Jaganathan is a senior NGO activist in Medicinal Plants promotion and a nature lover. Ms.Vimala Ramani, Programme Coordinator welcomed the participants. Dr.V.Ram doss, Vice Principal, Government Siddha Medical College, Palayamkottai, Tamil Nadu, was the Chief Speaker of the inaugural function, he gave a brief guest lecture on the prevailing conditions of AIDS and the role of Siddha Medical System in curative treatment. He said that researchers and academicians within the Indian System of Medicine are seeking recognition for Siddha. The participants presented their background, their contribution in Siddha Medical practice to HIV/AIDS prevention and control, their reasons for participating in the workshop and their expectations. The Programme schedule was modified by the suggestions of the participants.

Indian Medicines in AIDS Prevention
Mr.V.Ramani, Founder Secretary and Director, Gandeepam, made a introductory lecture on Siddha Medical System and the role of medicinal plants in health care with special reference to the HIV/AIDS treatment. He said that AIDS was not a new contemporary disease spreading but it has a history of over 5000 years. It has been known in many local names. He firmly argued that HIV/AIDS is curable and there is already medicines in Siddha System and expressed his anguish that it is unfortunate that the WHO has not yet recognized the treatment and cure under Siddha System for HIV/AIDS. The Oxform, an international community development agency has recently published a report in their official newsletter that the cost effective or cheap medicines for HIV/AIDS should not be recognized otherwise it would not get good regard for allopathic system of medicines. In this context, he stressed the need for making efforts through collective action for quality standardization of the above system with scientific approach. He expressed his displeasure over the budget allocation for Indian System of Medicines (ISM) and under ISM also the portion of allocation for Siddha. He said that out of the total budget allocation for ISM, 90% of the fund is earmarked for promotion and development of Ayurvedic and in the remaining 10% allocation for the systems of Unani, Homoeopathy and Siddha, a meager portion, 2.7%, goes to Siddha Medical Care Promotion.

While explaining its uniqueness of Siddha, he admired the services of ancestors in developing such no or low cost curative health care system including HIV/AIDS treatment. He also reflected the impacts and its recognition of Siddha system by the foreign people who have switched over to such system for sustainable living.

HIV Management
Vaidhyar Jayachandran from Kovilpatti had an interactive lecture on HIV Management. He shared his experience in managing HIV/AIDS under Siddha system. From Pondichery had an active interaction with the participants. His observation in managing was that for successful treatment of medicines in general and HIV/AIDS in particular, the patient should be cooperative with the doctors adhering to the instructions given by them for earlier and proper recovery from ailment. He shared his experience with the participants in HIV/AIDS Prevention by community approach. He said that there are medicines in Siddha System for HIV/AIDS treatment but due to improper documentation and non availability of scientific proof, it still lacks behind to other systems. He appealed for collective efforts for official recognition of the system in HIV/AIDS treatment.

In the Work Shop, during interaction on AIDS, there was a strong reaction that it was a foreign disease. But the disease called Mega Vettai, now known as AIDS, was in Tamil and cured in Siddha. The medicine has been prepared for curing AIDS from herbal plants. It was argued that the Indian Central Government is spending more than 1000 crores of rupees for prevention and control of AIDS. Likewise the Indian Central Government is spending crores of rupees for Family Planning. But it could be controlled by eating a medicinal leaf.

Dr.Bojarajan from Ponnamaravathy said that Gandeepam is giving medicines for various diseases and special care is taken on AIDS, he also pointed out that in Ayurvedic (one of the System of Indian Medicines) the research on AIDS control is being carried, but in Siddha, there is a medicine available for AIDS. He added that for the last 20 years, the term 'AIDS and HIV' has been popular and in all the media the message on AIDS Prevention had carried messages.

Mrs.Muthu Selvi from Ulagampatti said that the hospitals and practitioners on Allopathy are in making money rather than getting the patients cured by ones treatment. It was told that there were about 4448 diseases in human body. In Allopathy, ther are systematic approach with required instruments and facilities to attend a patient. In Siddha, it was said that, it was not possible to prove the genuinely and character of the medical system as there was no such arrangements by the Government as well as the private agencies. She viewed that money was not an important aspect but the disease cure. In preventing AIDS, cultural behavior is to be changed among the people. There was a question that if medicine would be available, what is the need for Naattu-Vaidhyars.

Dr.Moses from Gandeepam said that Mega Vettai is not called AIDS. There are 21 different kinds of sexually transmitted disease. Megham is the traditional way of disease Rasam/Ganthagan V Serumboftai mixture can cure AIDS. There was an interaction information that there was an insult and degradation among the HIV affected people. It was also said that HIV/AIDS has originated from the man himself.

The first Session was ended with the Lunch.

The after noon session was started with the experience sharing of HIV/AIDS control medical practice. Dr.Ganesh Kumar, Gandeepam, explained the ways and means of functioning of Gandeepam Siddha Hospital with special reference to HIV/AIDS control. He explained the success and failure of HIV treatment also argued that the failure of cases in HIV treatment was only due to non-cooperation of the patient and their relatives who without consultation or knowledge give or provide food materials, which results in negative effects. He cited many specific examples from his own experience. The audience raised clarifications on the medicines used, symptoms noticed, improvement recording, etc. Following the above clarification, some of the case studies were analyzed. Dr.Moses facilitated the above session. In this session, some treatment procedure for HIV was discussed for successful result of HIV patients.

On 8.12.2002
Legal Aspects of Siddha Systems
The First session was started by 10:00am with the prayer participated by the audience. The session discussed the legal aspects relating to the Siddha Medical Practice. This session was felicitated by Dr.E.Sukumar, Scientist, Chennai. The discussion reflected the Government's move against Pseudo Doctors. Sometimes, instead of combating the unqualified traditional practitioners, they also disturb the well-qualified doctors in Indian Medical System. Further, there is no proper monitoring of the emergence of Pseudo Doctors. The Workshop decided to suggest the Government to promulgate ordinance in prevention of such practitioners in the field so that duly qualified persons will be honored and their services will be availed by the patients with trust and belief.

Clinical Trial:
It was started with the interaction on Clinical Trial. Dr.Ramdoss, Vice Principal, Government Siddha Medical College, Tirunelveli facilitated the Session. It was interaction with the participants and most of them explained the present condition of Clinical Trial under Siddha. Quality Control and Standardisation system in Siddha was explained. Dr.Sukumaran explained the norms of the Government known as Good Monitoring Products Norms (GMP Norms), under which Siddha products should be manufactured. There is an Ethical Committee, which would monitor the production process.

Dr.Logamanian, Associate Professor, Government Siddha Medical College, Chennai, argued that in Siddha there was a draw back that the practice had been hidden by the practitioner which leads dependence on individuality. It becomes difficult to explain the factors of medicines in Siddha but in Allopathy, everything is systematic and properly documented.

CD Presentation on HIV Treatment:
Under the facilitation of Dr.Selva Shanmugam M.D.,(Siddha), CD presentation on HIV Treatment was made. It revealed the different categories of HIV effects and impacts of HIV+ and HlV(-), prescription, monitoring and diagnosis. It revealed the results of 37 cases handled by him. At the end of the CD show, he explained the systems of studies, medicines administered, etc., to the audience. He called for compiling the experience of various practitioners, analyse them and document with standardisation for approaching the concerned authorities for approval by Medical Authorities such as Health Council, WHO, etc.

In the after noon, there was a discussion by the participants on the future activities of the Network of Naattu Vaidhyars and Siddha Doctors. They called for the united action for collection of information, analysis, documentation and standardisation of various practices done by Siddha doctors and recommend the international bodies, specifically the World Health Organisation (WHO), for approving and recognising HIV/AIDS treatment under Siddha system.

Valedictory:
By 4:30pm the Valedictory function was organised. It was presided over by Dr.Sukumar, Scientist, ICCR, Chennai in the presence of Dr.Logamanian, Asst. Professor, Chennai and Mr.V.Ramani, Secretary, Gandeepam. The participants exchanged their experience and information they acquired by this Work Shop. Many of the participants viewed it as a very useful one and stressed to continue the efforts so that the Siddha system will be popularized at global level. Ms.M.Vimala Ramani proposed vote of thanks.

The participants were provided food and accommodation and Resource Materials, The Resource Persons were presented Mementos. The participants had a chance of visiting the Medicinal Plants Conservation Park at Gandeepam Conservation Park in the campus of Gandeepam where more than 1000 species of different medicinal plants including RET plants.

The programme ended with good result and expectation of united action.