Ayurveda unit at Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology on the verge of shut down

 BENGALURU: There are possibilities, that the ayurveda unit which was set up 2 years ago at the government-run Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology might be shutting down. The director of the institute says that the main reason for this, is that the facility hasn’t been conducting any ground-breaking research and the memorandum of understanding (MoU) will be ending in March 2019.

“With due respect to ayurveda and the rich resources available in our country, no ayurvedic treatment has proven to be effective for cancer. Not even level-1 research has been done so far. Poor patients who visit Kidwai seeking treatment can’t be used as guinea pigs. The unit’s term ends in March and I have asked them to vacate,” said Dr C Ramachandra, director of the cancer institute.

The signing of the MoU took place between the medical education department and Ayush (ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy, unani, siddha and homoeopathy) department in March 2017.

The clinic that has been set up in the palliative care section of Kidwai is full of ayurvedic drugs neatly stacked in racks. 

Recently as per sources, a yoga session was being held by an ayurveda expert for some patients. “Departments like radiology and palliative care refer cases to us and we treat patients with a holistic approach. Over 80 patients have opted for treatment. The MoU is not time-bound and can be reviewed,” said an ayurveda practitioner from the unit.

“We have no problem with meditation or yoga classes. But when it comes to ayurvedic medicine, there’s no proof of its effectiveness. We’ve had cancer patients who were treated in Kidwai opting for alternative treatment elsewhere and coming back to us with adverse effects of the drugs. We want to know what’s the active ingredient in ayurvedic medicine? For instance, Stage 1 cancer is treatable. Has there been any research in ayurveda where Stage 1 cases have been treated with ayurvedic drugs alone,” asked Dr Ramachandra.

Dr Rathan Kelkar, mission director, National Health Mission, said it might be an issue of miscommunication. “It was noticed earlier that the staffers deputed at the ayurveda unit were not paid properly and the issue must have been resolved by now. But regarding ayurvedic treatment of cancer patients, a framework and guidelines need to be prepared by a committee comprising both oncologists and ayurveda specialists. That’s what we have done to treat non-communicable diseases in government hospitals,” he said.