World Unani Day is annually observed across the globe on 11 February to commemorate the birth anniversary of social reformer and renowned Unani scholar Mohammad Ajmal Khan better known as Hakim Ajmal Khan, widely regarded as the pioneer of Unani medicine in India.
- The Day focuses on promoting the Unani system of medicine into the mainstream and focuses on the strengths of Unani and its unique treatment principles.
The theme of Unani Day 2024 is “Unani Medicine for One Earth, One Health”.
Objective: The Day also aims to pay tribute to the legendary Hakim Ajmal Khan for his wonderful contribution to the sustained development of the Unani system of medicine in India and across the globe.
Background:
i.To recognise the contributions of Hakim Ajmal Khan towards development of Unani medicine, the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy (AYUSH), the Government of India, declared his birth anniversary (11 February of every year) as World Unani Day.
ii.The 1st ever World Unani Day was observed on 11 February 2017 at the Central Research Institute of Unani Medicine (CRIUM) in Hyderabad, Telangana.
- CRIUM, Hyderabad has been upgraded to the National Research Institute of Unani Medicine in Skin Disorders (NRIUMSD) in 2019.
About Hakim Ajmal Khan:
i.He was born on 11th February 1868 in Delhi (British India). He was a physician and scholar of Unani medicine.
ii.He was one of the founders of the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), public research-intensive central university in Delhi.
- He was the first Chancellor of JMI, from 1920 till his death(1927).
iii.He established the Hindustani Dawakhana in Delhi in 1905 to manufacture Unani and Ayurvedic medicines.
iv.He also established the Ayurvedic and Unani Tibbi Conference in 1910 to unite all Vedas and Hakims against British rule and their efforts to ban all indigenous Systems of Medicine.
About Unani:
i.Unani-tibb or Unani Medicine is a form of traditional medicine practiced in middle-east & south-Asian countries.
ii.It refers to a tradition of Graeco-Arabic medicine, which is based on the teachings of Greek physician Hippocrates and Roman physician Galen.
iii.Unani medicine first arrived in India around the 12th or 13th century, coinciding with the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate (1206–1527) and the subsequent Islamic rule over North India.
- The Unani System of Medicine is included in the Indian Medicine Central Council (IMCC) as per the IMCC, Act 1970.
National Conference on Unani Medicine 2024:
i.The inauguration of Unani Day 2024 and the National Conference on Unani Medicine for One Earth, One Health was organized by CCRUM at Pusa, New Delhi (Delhi).
ii.Key People who attended the event include:
- Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha (Chief Guest), Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH; Vaidya Jayant Deopujari, Chairman, National Commission for Indian System of Medicine, New Delhi; Dr. N. Zaheer Ahmed, Director General, CCRUM, etc.
Releases, Achievements & Exchanges:
i.The event witnessed the release of various publications, e-books, a Mobile App on Unani compound drugs, and a documentary – all developed by the CCRUM.
iiNational Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) and National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) certificates were awarded to 4 CCRUM institutes.
- Appreciation certificates were also awarded to CCRUM scientists for Best Research Papers.
iv.A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was exchanged between CCRUM and the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad.
2024 Events:
To mark World Unani Day on 11 February 2024,
i.Hamdard Laboratories (Waqf) Bangladesh organised a seminar at the Hamdard University, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Pranay Verma attended the event as a special guest.
ii.Directorate of Indian System of Medicine (AYUSH), Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) organised a seminar at Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention (SKICC) in Srinagar, J&K.
About Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH):
Union Minister– Sarbananda Sonowal (Rajya Sabha Assam)
Minister of State– Dr. Munjpara Mahendrabhai Kalubhai (Constituency: Surendranagar, Gujarat)
