People all around the globe observe April 10 as the World Homeopathy Day to appreciate the life and legacy of German physician Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann, the founder and architect of homeopathy. The idea behind celebrating the day is to make more and more people aware about the benefits of homeopathic treatment and medicines. Apart from that, the day is also meant for discussing challenges and planning future strategies for the betterment and development of homeopathy.
Born on April 10, 1755, Hahnemann was qualified in traditional system of medicine. But his scientific bent of mind, keen observation and analytical thought made him to finally quit that system and founded a new system of healing, “homoeopathy”, in late eighteenth century.
Days kept passing by. People got more and more fascinated with this system of treatment. It spread from country to country. It has won millions of heart due to its affordability owing to low cost, minimum dose, easy administration, minimal side effects, its novel approach to disease, its holistic concept of treating the whole man, not the disease, and many more. Whenever any chronic disease comes to mind, people’s first choice is no doubt homeopathy. It has taken a smooth ride meeting all challenges on the way mitigating innumerable, inveterate number of chronic diseases among the patients, proving that it is one of the holistic and natural approaches for the treatment of the sick.
In paediatrics, it has evoked smile in millions of children due to its palatability. In geriatrics, it has a boon for senior citizens because these medicines can be used for indefinitely without side effects for ageing disorders. In gynaecological disorders, it has always been the first option to try. In many autoimmune diseases and lifestyle diseases, it’s a panacea due to its holistic approach and use of constitutional medicines. Many incurable diseases, where palliation is required, homeopathy is a good choice. Some surgical diseases like piles, fissures, fistula, warts, benign hypertrophy of prostate, fibroadenoma of breast are well-managed by rightly-selected medicines. In most of the skin diseases, its scope scores higher than any other system of medicine.
In this age of adverse drug reaction when humanity is crippled with indiscriminate and non judicious use of heroic drugs and subsequent development of drug resistance, homeopathy will definitely take care of all these affairs.
So on this World Homeopathic Day, the nations pay tribute to that great soul whose brainchild homeopathy has stood the acid test of time thereby crowning as the widely-accepted alternative system of treatment and proved to be a healing touch to innumerable acute and chronic diseases surfacing in the society day by day.
(Dr Naik is a former Chief Medical Officer, Directorate of AYUSH, Odisha and a former Reader, Dr Abhin Chandra Homeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Bhubaneswar)
