indigenous health system in pakistan
DESCRIPTION
This Presentation was given to Mr.Wasif Ali Waseer lecturer of Sociology at UMT,Lahore. In the class of Medical Sociology.The presentation covers the history about how Indigenous Health system emerged in the Pakistan. and what types of Indiginous treatments and treaters are available and followed by the people of Pakistan. And How they become victim of themTRANSCRIPT
M.USAMA MANSOOR
Indigenous Health System in Pakistan
Mspaint.exe
What is Health?
Health is a state of complete
Physical
Mental
& Social Wellbeing
& not merely the absence of disease or infirmity
WHO defines Health as
What is System?
A set of principles orprocedures according to which something is done
an organized schemeor
method
"a multiparty system of government"
What is Health System?
A health system, also sometimes referred to as health care system or healthcare system is
The organization of people
Institutions
&
Resources to deliver health care services to meet the health needs of target populations
According to WHO
A health system consists of all organizations
people and actions whose primary intent is to promote
This includes efforts to influence determinants of health as well as more direct health-improving activities
A health system is therefore more than the pyramid of publicly owned facilities that deliver personal health services
It includes
For exampleA mother caring for a sick child at home
Private providers
Behaviour change programmes
Vector-control campaigns
Health insurance organizations
Occupational health and safety legislation
It includes inter-sectorial action by health staff
For example
Encouraging the ministry of education to promote female education
A well-known determinant of better health
What is Indigenous Health System?
Indigenous Health System refers
A system that encompases of using ancient methods of curing a disease
For Example
To cure a person from Flu hakeems advised to take one table spoon of Lauk-e-Spistan thrice a day
History of Pre Indigenous Health System in Pakistan
The history of Pre Indigenous health system begins with
The migration of different civilizations in subcontinent
Use of different techniques for medication goes back to earlier settlers
The use of herbs to cure different diseases start as early as 7000 BCE
Aryan tribe was one of the earlier settlers in the subcontinent
Both ailments physical and mental were used to be treated through
Different ceremonies
Attractions
Songs
Medicines and Surgical invention
Different religions like
Jainism
Buddhism
Islam
&
Hinduism
Talk about techniques use to cure diseases
In Qur’an different things are mentioned to cure different disease such as,
Nigella Seeds which are used to treat cardiac patients, constipation and many other diseases
Indigenous Health System in Jainism
In Jainism Garuda is the name used for yoga of self-discipline and discipline of mind
Body and speech
So that even earth
Water
Fire and air
Can come under one’s control
Buddhism Buddha is the doctor
Knowledge of the Dharma is the medicine
Monastic as the nursing staff
And all people as the patients
According to this medical analogy
Buddhism is considered a medication with a broad meaning
medication that can cure the ailments in all aspects of life
Indigenous Health System in Hinduism
Archaic Hindu Medicine in its earliest context is found mostly in
The hymns of Atharva Veda
And the Vedic term ‘beshhaja’, used to donate medicinal charms
Which occurs also in Avesta as baesazya
It is a ‘psychosomatic’ approach to healing a part of philosophical system
History Indigenous Health System in Pakistan
Pakistan became an independent state
Most of the population that migrated to Pakistan was associated with the profession of agriculture
Despite growing regular crops they also grew herbs
Fever
Influenza
Because they were familiar with their use for different treatments such as,
Hepatites,etc.
Because they were at home in treating people with different diseases using the herbs
They were declared as,
Hakeem
This is how profession of Hikmat emerged in Pakistan
Household Treatment is another type indigenous treatment being popular in Pakistani rural areas
The elders of the house were considered as experts
They use to tell different tips to cure diseases
If a child is suffering from ear pain
They will advise to fry the clove in Mustard oil
And fill the effected ear with warm mustard oil
For Example
Games were a source of rejoicement in Pakistan at the time of independence
The games that were played in Pakistan mainly include
Hockey
Horse Riding
Wrestling and Gully rod
In the rural and urban areas there were many wrestling rings
Different wrestling matches were organized at that time
For this wrestlers have to drill regularly
Through these drills they became familiar with the formation of body structure
It was this knowledge that enables them to manipulate a bone
Not only they manipulate a bone but also they were able to provide treatment to the patient with inflammation of muscles and joints pain
For Example
They provide an oil of Ratan Jog for the treatment of Joint pains to their patients
Before independence there was Hinduism and other religions that were practiced at large
But after the evaded by Muhammad Bin Qasim Islam has entered the subcontinent and Sindh was declared Babul Islam
When the Sufi’s entered the subcontinent many people started switching to Islam
The main Sufi’s of the subcontinent includes,
Data Sahib
Musa Pak
Lal Shehbaz Qalendar
Shah Abdul Latif Bhattai and many more
The affiliation of their disciples was so strong that they for each their single wish visit their shrines
It was practiced without visiting shrines as, If Allah will fulfil my desire I will offer prayers five times a day at mosque
And
Promise that if their desire will be fulfilled they will provide food to the desiples present at the shrine
Mostly Pakistani’s while working at their farms was habitual of becoming victim of snakebite
At that time the people who were responsible for treating the patients with snakebite was Jogis
Jogi is people that have an art to caught snakes. They take out the poison from the body of the affected by using Prickly Gem, Snow Hail and herbs
Astrologist was there in large number
And many village people visits them because of their illiteracy
And strong belief on them regularly to know about their future and how they can overcome to the evils, diseases they will face in future
The Astrologist use asks them about their
Birth date
City of birth
And mother name
Then predicts the future of a person
Similarly if a person has fallen ill
And he visited an Astrologist
He will diagnose that you fall ill because there is the dark shadow of a person on you
If you have to avoid this shadow you have to follow my instructions
Palmist was another source of treatment for the people of Pakistan
Many villager and citizens use to visit palmist to know about their future and ailment and how it can be cure using holy beliefs
These palmists than judge the illness by studying the lines of hand and suggest the treatment though holy book
Among many other indigenous treatment one was Spiritual treatment
It was performed by spiritual persons
They used to treat a patient in the light of Qur’an and Sunnah
Mainly they used to treat the patients with mental disease such as,
Insomnia
Shizrophenea
Paranoia, etc
They perform their treatment at Mausoleum
Types of Indigenous Treatments in Pakistan
Following are the types of indigenous Treaters in Pakistan
•Bone Setter
•Sufi
•Palmist
• Astrologist
•Jogi
•Spiritual Leader
• Herbal Medication
•Household Treatment
Bone Setter
A bonesetter is a practitioner of joint manipulation
Before the introduction of the allopathic treatment of bone
The main source to treat a person with fracture was bonesetters
These bone setters were at home in joining the fractured part of the body
They also provide the treatment for the joints and muscle pain
These bonesetters were mainly the wrestlers
They were the one who was most familiar with the bone formation as they use to drill and while wrestling they use to touch the different part of the body
Through which they became at home in treating the patient with
Fracture
Joint pain
These bonesetters were found in large number in Gujranwala and its suburbs
Even now bonesetters practice in the few areas of Pakistan which includes Lahore
Sufi
Sufi is religious personalities that were close to Allah and were the main source to enlighten the key points of Qur’an and Sunnah
Many disciples were attached with them
When any family member of disciple fall ill they use to appear in front of Sufi
These Sufi’s perform tails and blessing for different diseases such as,
Fever
Cancer
Ulcers,etc
Even when they demise from the world and their shrine are built
Their disciples visit their shrines regularly and what so ever they beg beside the shrine of the Sufi they make promises that if they will be cured from their diseases they will provide
Food to the disciples present at shrine
Built mosque
Help a needy
Pray nafals, etc
Even today thousands of deciples visit Shrines for the fulfilment of their desires
For Example
Smallpox is common in Pakistan in children
Many disciples whom children have small pox use to visit shrines and beg for the betterment of health of their child
They tie thread in the grid of the tree
Promise they will fulfil the need of the needy
Provide food to dispel of the shrine
Provide household things to a poor
Palmist
Palmist is a person who was at home in reading the fate line
He uses to describe the future to a person
These palmists than describe the future along with the reason why they are
Facing hardships
Ailments and show them a way to get rid of them
Along with Islam many religions were practised in the subcontinent
Before the independence of Pakistan Hindu’s and Muslims were living together they follow many traditions
One of the traditions was showing hand to a Palmist
Even today many people have firm belief on these palmist commonly known as, ‘amil’
These palmists are mainly found in the rural areas of
Punjab
Sindh
KPK
and Baluchistan
Mainly palmists are practising in the urban areas of Pakistan
They treat different diseases by reading the fate line
Mainly they treat the mental diseases such as,
Shizrophenea
Paranoia
Insomnia, etc
These palmists are
Bengali Baba
Sadiq Malik
Ali Baba
Astrologist
Astrologist is a person that treats the patient using the knowledge of stars
i.e.
Scorpio
Virgo
Leo
Gemini
Cancer
Capricorn, etc
All they require is
Date of birth
Place of birth
And name of mother
They treat them be warning them the time of hardship and tactics to overcome the diseases
For example
Virgo is said
To govern the hands
Spleen and central nervous system
Intestines
Abdomen
Illnesses to which its natives are prone include
Catarrh
Cold
Coughs
Pleurisies
Pneumonia and nervous instabilities
Their natures make them inclined to worry and this makes them vulnerable to stomach and bowel troubles, including colic and ulcers
Both sexes are strongly interested in
Drugs and esoteric cuisine
Male Virgoans may have trouble with their sexual organs
As their delicate stomachs require them to be careful about their diet
It is essential that they treat their fascination with exotic food with extreme care
The main astrologists in the Pakistan are,
Mian Naeem
Naseeb Hassan Shah
Liaqat Sabtain, etc
Mamu
Syed Azim Jaffery
Spiritual Leader
A person that treat the patient in the light of Qur’an and Sunnah
Mainly they treat the
Cardiac patient
Patients with mental disorders
such as,
Shizrophenea
Paranoia
Insomnia
For the treatment of cardiac patient with closed arteries they advise to use
One cup lemon juice
One cup ginger juice
Stir them in a in a pot on light heat for half an hour
One cup apple vinegar
Three table spoon every day
Take this solution with an empty stomach
Cool it then add three cups honey
Most of these spiritual leaders are Sufi’s
They are attached to this profession from their forefathers like,
Peer Syed Gillani Sahib
Syed Sultan Akbar Ali Shah
Chotey Peer Sahib
Many rural people have firm belief on them
Herbal Medication
Most of the people in Pakistan are associated with the profession of agriculture
They use to grow different crops such as,
Cotton
Rice
Wheat
Sugarcane
Vegetables, etc
Along with these crops many herbs were grown
Whenever they fall ill they harvest them and use them for the treatment of different diseases
Like
Typhoid Fever
Fever
Stomach ache
Loose stools, etc
The use of honey for cough with ginger juice
Use for corn’s hair for kidney and many more
The person that is associated with this profession is called Hakim
They have made their Dawakhana’s
Most of them are very famous like,
Hamdard Dawakhana
Qarshi Dawakhana
Dawakhana Hakim Suleman Khan, etc.
Household Treatment
Household Treatment is another type aboriginal treatment being general in Pakistani rural areas
The chiefs of the family were well-thought-out as specialists
They use to tell different tips to remedy diseases
Fill the effected ear with warm mustard oil
For Example
If a child is suffering from ear pain
They will advise to fry the clove in Mustard oil
They will advise to fry the clove in Mustard oil
Jogi
Jogi is person that has an art to caught snakes
They take out the poison from the body of the affected by using
Prickly Gem
Snow Hail and herbs
Mostly Pakistani’s while operational at their homesteads was customary of becoming prey of snakebite
At that phase the creature who was liable for handling the patients with snakebite was Jogis
Conclusion
The poverty in the Pakistan is approx. 66%
Most of the population lives in the rural areas
As the modern health system is expensive
There is a need to overcome the weaknesses in the health system of Pakistan
Which includes the above mentioned mode of treatment
They prefer indigenous health treatment
There is a need to revisit the health policy being run in Pakistan
So that the poor unhealthy people can rejoice their lives fruitfully