Published on August 25, 2021 14:50 IST
Introduction
India is a country with a great historical background and diversities in culture. No matter how many clashes occur in different manners between different cultures but Unity in Diversity was, is and will always be our anthem as citizens of India. From food to medicine various types of cultures are prevailing here that from time to time preserved by the government of India by providing recognition as well assistance of modern technologies with great techniques.
The Ministry of AYUSH covers many types of curing ways or processes under one roof. AYUSH stands for the medical systems that are being practiced in India since ancient times such as Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy. These systems are based on definite medical philosophies and represent a way of healthy living with established concepts on prevention of diseases and promotion of health.
Homeopathy after getting recognized by the government of India has undergone development in the recent years. Initially, it started with Homeopathy Central Council (HCC) Act, 1973 and then was repealed in 2020 after the introduction of National Commission for Homeopathy Act, 2020. The National Commission for Homeopathy Act (Amendment) Bill was passed on August 10th, 2021[i].
Medicine and Health has been a part of Country’s Development Index because more the facilities for heath are present, more the people will act a resource for the country. A healthy youth forms a strong base for the future.
Homeopathy: A historical Approach
Arisen in Europe, Homeopathy is able to make itself stand with other forms of medicine in the modern era especially in India. It was founded by Samuel Huhnemann (1755-1843), who grew up in Meissen in Germany and died a millionaire in Paris. The history of Homeopathy is not as old as Ayurveda.Homeopathy is a medical system based on the belief that the body can cure itself. Those who practice it use tiny amounts of natural substances, like plants and minerals. They believe these stimulate the healing process.
Homeopathy in India was introduced in the early 19th century. It flourished in Bengal at first, and then spread all over India. Initially, this system was practiced by amateurs in the civil and military services and others. Mahendra Lal Sircar was the first Indian who became homeopathic physician. After his lead, many allopathic doctors started homeopathic practice.
The Calcutta Homeopathic Medical College is the first homeopathic medical college that was introduced in 1881. After this, the flourishment of Homeopathy boomed in India leading to recognition by the Government of India as one of the national systems of medicine in India in year 1973. At present there are over 200,000 registered homeopathic doctors in the country and many recognized colleges.
In this way, homeopathy has undergone a great level of progress in India that it is one of the leading medicinal processes in the country which large number of doctors, practitioners as well as institutes.
What is Homeopathy Central Council Act, 1973?
The Homeopathy Central Council Act, 1973, (Act 59 of 1973), was a great step for the development of homeopathic medicine in the whole country. The act mainly aimed at defining the role and establishment of the Central Council of Homeopathy. It also states about the regularization of the maintenance of a central register of issues and entitles related to the field of homeopathy.
The act included five chapters from the beginning which were passed by the parliament. The act has undergone amendment in 2002 as the Homeopathy Central Council Amendment Act, 2002 (No. 51 of 2002).
The objective of the act was to regulate the homeopathy and its related grievances and problems efficiently and to conduct research in this field. The following act was also responsible for the initiation and spread of education and professionals in India which has even proved to be a great boon in the area of medicine.
The Homeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Act, 2020
The Homeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2020 was introduced in Rajya Sabha on September 14th, 2020. The Act amends the Homeopathy Central Act, 1973. The Act sets up the National Commission for Homeopathy which regulates homeopathic education and practice.
The main reason of repealing of the old act was the supersession of Central Council which was required to be reconstituted within one year from the date of supersession. The period was amended in 2019 to require reconstitution of the Central Council in two years. In the interim period, the central government constituted a board of governors, to exercise the powers of Central Council. The particular act amended the Act to increase the period for supersession of the Central Council from two years to three years.
The Act provides for the term and conditions of office of Chairperson and Members. It also established rules and procedures of their removal. Also, the act mentions about the appointment of secretary, experts, professionals, officers and employees of Commission.
“It provides for a medical education system that improves access to quality and affordable medical education, ensures availability of adequate and high quality Homeopathy medical professionals in parts of the country that promotes equitable and universal health care that encourages community health perspective and makes services of Homeopathy medical professionals accessible and affordable to all the citizens that promotes national health goals increasing research and education in the following field.”
The National Commission for Homeopathy (Amendment) Bill, 2021
Parliament on August 11th, 2021 passed the National commission for Homeopathy (Amendment) Bill, 2021. The Bill has been sent to the president for his assent after it has been passed in both houses of the Parliament. The Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha on August 9th, 2021, which lower house cleared on August 10th, 2021.
The National Commission for Homeopathy (Amendment) Bill, 2021 aims at amending the National Commission for Homeopathy Act, 2020.
The Bill was introduced by Minister of AYUSH i.e. Mr. Sarabananda Sonowal who stated that the Bill aims to save the actions done, decisions made, liability incurred by the Board of Governors constituted as per the provisions of the Homeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021, till the constitution of National Commission under National Commission for Homeopathy Act, 2020.
- The National Commission for Homeopathy (Amendment) Bill, 2021, amends the National Commission for Homeopathy Act, 2020, and thereby provides a medical education system that improves access quality and affordable medical education.
- On July 5th, 2021, the National Commission for Homeopathy was constituted to supersede the Central Council constituted under the 1973 Act. On the same date, the 1973 Act was also repealed.
- The main aim here is to provide efficiency in the whole system of Homeopathy medical science, and to flourish its use in the coming era where people are being quite conscious for their health.
What are the major Key Points brought up by the New Amendment Bill?
In this period of Covid-19 pandemic, AYUSH ministry has shown its hope for homeopathy for the prevention and mitigation of the Corona Virus. It has been reflected by the advisory and guidelines issued by the ministry. It has been told to be a great immunity booster with less harmful effects on the human body.
In this era, the medicine and health plays an important part in the nation’s development due to which amendments have been introduced in parliament for different medicinal processes and Homeopathy is one of them. The Bill has been passed already by the both houses to meet the needs of present circumstances. The new bill will be responsible for the following aspects:
- To ensure necessary regulatory reforms in the field of homeopathy education and research.
- To enable transparency and accountability for protecting the interest of general public and to provide every person better health facilities.
- To promote availability of affordable healthcare services in all parts of the country.
- To ensure boosting the immunity of the people and to prevent them from the health hazards of the pandemic and this must be the point of focus in the present circumstances.
Hence, these were some of the key features or points brought up in the monsoon session of the Parliament 2021.
Conclusion
So far as concerned with the amendment brought up in the National Commission for Homeopathy (Amendment) Bill, 2021, it was done for meeting the needs of the present scenario and circumstances. We can observe that people are getting more and more conscious about their health and personality.
Though it is an indicator of Human Development Index also, India is still far away from the developed nations for providing the basic health and medicine facilities. For this, it has to be made sure that number of hospitals, doctors and the facilities provided in them are up to the mark.
Homeopathy has been quite popularized in the recent decades and the Indian citizens have shown great trust towards it. For this, there is a need to properly regularize as well as maintain whole procedure so that it can be easily available to the common people in-need.
Besides after the AYUSH guidelines for the Covid-19 pandemic has urged the importance and use of the Homeopathic medicines as immunity boosters. So, there was a need to flourish Homeopathy and homeopathic education which was the main aim of the amendment of 2021. Pandemic has shown us all the actual face of the health facilities in the country and due to which this step has graved its own importance.
Reference :
[i] ROOPASHREE SHARMA, “National Commission for Homeopathy (Amendment) Bill, 2021” (Last visited on August 19th, 2021)