In a bid to encourage research in the field of homoeopathy and promote the age-old therapy of treatment, the homoeopathic doctors' body proposes to set up a research centre under the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) in Gujarat.
The Gujarat branch of the Homoeopathic Medical Association of India (HMAI) has written to the State Government for required assistance in setting up the infrastructure for the centre, senior homoeopaths said here.
"There is a greater need to encourage research in homoeopathy from Gujarat. This will provide the much-needed push to homoeopathic medical science in the region. This medical science is well-accepted in states like West Bengal, Karnataka, Uttat Pradesh and Bihar. But there is a huge scope for growth in Gujarat too," said Dr Bhasker Bhatt, senior homoeopath and organising chairman of the 19th All India Homoeopathic Congress (AIHCON) - 2014.
"We have written to the State Government for setting up a CCRH research centre in Gujarat," Bhatt told
Primarily a research body, CCRH was first established as an autonomous organisation in 1978 in New Delhi under the Department of AYUSH, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. There are about 22 CCRH centres across the country.
Bhatt further mentioned that it is for the first time, the AIHCON is being held in Gujarat during December 27-28, 2014. The Chief Minister, Anandiben Patel, will inaugurate the Congress, while Shripad Naik, Minister of State (independent charge), Health and Family Welfare, Department of AYUSH, Government of India, will also be present.
So far, homoeopathy's penetration in Gujarat has been lower compared to other parts of the country. Out of about 2,25,000 registered homoeopaths across the country, Gujarat has only 7 per cent or 17,500 of them.
"The CCRH will require plantation of homoeopathic plants to support the research. Hence, we would require a bigger land for the CCRH centre so that it will serve dual purposes of research centre and an institute," said Dr Piyush Joshi, organising secretary, AIHCON.
About 1,000 homoeopaths from across the country are likely to attend AIHCON and share newer ideas and research in the field of homoeopathy. Currently, homoeopathy research in the country is focused on diseases like cancer, malaria and dengue, besides malnutrition.