Experts and healthcare professionals on Saturday at a conference emphasized the importance of expanding the use of alternative medicine like ayurvedic, unani and homeopathic medicines to cut medical expenses.
They said integration of alternative or traditional medicines into the national healthcare system and its wider use can contribute greatly to the universal health coverage that the Bangladesh government has targeted to achieve by 2032.
Ayurved and Naturopathy Association of Bangladesh (AYUNS), Dhaka University’s (DU) Department of Pharmacy, Public Health Foundation of Bangladesh and Hamdard University Bangladesh organised the 4th AYUNS International Conference at DU Senate Bhaban.
The theme of this year’s conference was ‘traditional medicine and universal health coverage’.
Experts said the entire world is now inclining to use traditional medicines which have been proved highly effective in disease treatment and its prevention with low side effects. According to them, alternative medicine is less expensive than allopathic or mainstream medicine.
They said despite having all these benefits, the medicine could not yet reach every segment of the people in Bangladesh.
According to conference organisers, Bangladesh now lacks in adequate number registered practitioners in the alternative medicine field.
They suggested strengthening research activities for the promotion of alternative medicines.
Dr Christophe Wiart from University of Nottingham presented the keynote paper at the event where over a dozen papers were presented in the scientific sessions. Policymakers and high officials from the Ministry of Health, DGHS and other stakeholders participated in the conference.
President of Ayurved and Naturopathy Association of Bangladesh Dr Samir Kumar Saha chaired the inaugural session.
Secretary General of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) Professor M Iqbal Arslan, was the chief guest at the inaugural session while Vice Chancellor of Hamdard University Bangladesh Professor Dr Tanvir Ahmed Khan, Professor of Pharmaceutical Technology Department at the University of Dhaka Professor ABM Faroque were present, among others.
