Homeopathic Progress Report Hajj Medical Report Dec 2006. Rombongan Pegawai Perubatan Homeopathy Berkhidmat di Mekkah Musim Haji 2006

Homeopathic Progress Report
Hajj Medical Mission Dec 2006

1. Introduction: This year National Council for Homeopathy (NCH), Ministry of Health, Government of Pakistan recommended following five names for Hajj Medical Mission Dec 2006:

a. Homeopathic Dr. MAS ……...........…Province (Punjab)
b. Homeopathic Dr. Mutahir Abbasi (Federal Capital)
c. Homeopathic Dr. Abdul Rashid Khan (NWFP)
d. Homeopathic Dr. Zaheer Akhtar (Sindh)
e. Homeopathic Dr. Khaliq Hashmi (Baluchistan)

2. Training and Arrival at Makkah: Homeopathic Doctors were given training at Madinatul Hujjaj Islamabad on 13th to 15th November 2006. The homeopaths reached at Makkah Tul Mukarma in three different groups on scheduled flights at different interval of time.

3. Provision of Medicines: National Council for Homeopathy provided bulk of medicines for Hajj mission. It was deposited to Hajj Mission before departure. The Homeopathic Medicines, which were dispatched from Pakistan, were reached at Pakistan House Makka Tul Mukarma well in time and were further distributed in setting up homeopathic dispensaries in different sectors of Makka Tul Mukarma and Madina Munawara. Homeopaths were also provided homeopathic medicines by the officials from the Ex-Stock available at Pakistan House Makka Tul Mukkarma. These include wide range of potencies, placebo diskettes, plastic bags, emergency combinations and Bio-Chemic salts.

4. Duties: After reaching at Pakistan House Makkah Tul Mukarma. Homeopaths were detailed in three different homeopathic dispensaries. Two dispensaries were set up in Makkah Tul Mukkarma and for each dispensary one homeopath was detailed as homeopathic medical officer. One homeopathic doctor was given task to set up dispensary at Madina Munawara. He then went to Madina Munawara to carry out the task. These homeopaths performed their duties with utmost devotion, professional commitment and personal keen interest. The Homeopathic Doctors worked for eight hours to twelve hours in a day and provided homeopathic consultation to Hujjaj. When two more homeopaths were arrived at Makkah Tul Mukarma to join the group then duties time was reduced to 8 hours in a day.

5. Patients Consultation and Maintenance of Record: A suitable procedure was laid down to provide free and high-quality medicines with rational homeopathic consultation to Hujjaj (pilgrimages). All the patients were asked to approach to Homeopathic Doctors after getting Registration Slip with proper filling of Serial Number, Name and Passport Number at Reception, so that an accurate and genuine record could be maintained. It was the choice of Haji (Pilgrimage) to find what type of treatments he/she wants among the available options that is homeopathy, Herbal (Unani) or Allopathy. People were keen to take homeopathic medicines. Few were those who were carrying homeopathic prescription slips, which they brought from Pakistan.

6. Total Number of Patients: During the mission, above 14 to 15 thousands patients were given free Homeopathic treatment both at Makkah Tul Mukkarma and Madina Munawara. During rush hours, before Hajj 200 patients were given consultation in a day. Many Patients were given consultation and medicines without registration, being the reason that visited Hujjaj were unable to produce proper Hajj Identity Cards at the time of consultation. They visited Homeopathic dispensaries without having supportive documents even then Homeopathic Medicines were provided.

7. Indian Hajj Medical Mission: It is worth mentioning that in order to develop soft corner among the visited Haji's (Pilgrimage) of the other countries and the idea to follow “Serving of one Haji is equal to one Hajj”, free homeopathic medicines were also provided to them. These include many countries like Afganistan, Neighboring Russian States, Bungladesh, Saudi Arabia and India etc. The trend of Indian Hajj Pilgrimages was towards Pakistani Hajj Medical Mission, a fair number of Indian Haji’s visited Pakistani Homeopathic Dispensaries to take homeopathic medicines. In order to find the reason and to see the set up of Indian Hajj Medical Mission, a group of homeopaths headed by Dr. MAS visited Indian Hajj Medical Mission and enquired in detail about the set up. The Director Indian Hajj Medical mission briefed the group about the Indian Hajj Medical Mission; he told that no Indian Homeopath is included in the mission. The government of India only sends Allopathic Doctors in the mission. The officials do not consider the significance of homeopathy for the mission. Dr. MAS requested to the director to put suggestion to Ministry to include Indian Homeopaths in the next mission also.

8. Common Diseases: During the Hajj Season, Hujjaj/Patients with different set of symptoms / diseases were reported at homeopathic dispensaries. The list of the most common diseases is mentioned below:

Name of Diseases
Sinusitis,Fever – General, Apthae, Allergy – Sneezing, Allergy – Skin Itching, Stomach Pain, Mouth – Ulcer, Renal Colic, Prostatorrhea, Heart – Palpitation, Skin – Eczema, Muscular Pain – Calf, Rheumatic Complaints, Menses – Bleeding, Male - Sexual Weakness, adache, Catarrh, Tonsillitis,etc


9. Problem Faced: Although Director Hajj Medical Mission, Ministry of Hajj Affairs and other allied forces provided all possible assistance in the promotion and set up of Homeopathic dispensaries, but few discrepancies from the other staff were also faced by homeopaths. Anyway these minor stumbling blocks were the part of the job and Homeopathic Doctors very well adjusted themselves finally. The cooperation and assistance provided by the Director and Deputy Director Hajj Medical Mission is very well appreciated.

10. Briefing to Federal Ministers: A short briefing was given to Federal Minister of Hajj and Religious Affairs Mr. Ijaz Ul Haque on his visit at homeopathic dispensary set up at main hospital Pakistan House Makka Tul Mukarama. At Minnah Camp, during Hajj Days, Homeopathic Dr. MAS given detailed briefing to Federal Minister of Health, Mr. Muhammad Naseer Khan about the duties, conduct and performance of homeopathic doctors during Hajj Medical Mission. He appreciated the performance and directed to him to submit a detail report with supporting documents at his office so that alternative therapy may get its due share and status. A friendly talk was also done with Chief Minister of NWFP, Minister of Law, Leader of the Opposition Maulana Fazal Ur Rehman and other MPA & MNA’s and high dignitaries. This created empathetic relationship and few of them then consulted and visited the homeopathic dispensary for taking medicines.

11. Suggestion / Recommendation: It was observed that People have keen interest in Homeopathic and Alternative Therapies, to them allopathic medicines contain lot of side effects, that’s why they were rushed to Homeopathic and Unani dispensaries during Hajj Season. In few sectors of Makka Tul Mukkarma, no Homeopathic Dispensary was located; Hujjaj reached at main hospital in search of Homeopathic and Unani (Herbal) medicines after traveling a long distance. They also complained about this problem. Eight dispensaries were working in Makkah Tul Mukarma and five Dispensaries were working in Madina Munawara but among these dispensaries, only in four dispensaries Homeopathic Medicines were available. Due to over all performance during Hajj Medical Mission and Hujjaj keen interest in alternative therapies like Homeopathy and Unani, it is strongly recommended that for each dispensary at Makkah Tul Mukarma and Madina Munawara, atleast 13 Homeopaths, one Homeopath for one dispensary should be enrolled for the next Hajj Medical Mission 2007, so that people may get good quality treatment easily having no side effects.

12. Awards and Appreciations: Homeopathic Doctors assisted the Hajj Medical Mission for successful completion with full dedication and commitment. Dr. MAS not only attended patients in homeopathic dispensary and provided consultation but also given extra time for managing office works during Hajj Medical Mission.

Keeping in view of the over all best performance in promoting Homeopathic system during Hajj Medical Mission, the Director Hajj Medical Mission commended the services of all Homeopaths in the final meeting.

Many Saudi dignitaries and Pakistani officials consulted the homeopath for their treatment. His Excellency Sheikh Fowad Omar Instisar Azhar appointed Dr. MAS as his family physician and offered free visit to Saudi Arabia at any time. Commendations and Best performance were also awarded to him by different organizations in that short period. This shows his sense of responsibility. He in true sense proved to be a true ambassador of Pakistani Homeopaths.

The services rendered by Dr. MAS were applauded and appreciated at all level. The Director Hajj Medical Mission Pakistan issued him appreciation letter also.

At Madina Munawara, the Deputy Director Hajj Medical Mission also commended the services of homeopath by issuing a certificate of excellence. This is happened first time in the history of Hajj Medical Mission that a homeopath was awarded twice both at Madina Munawara and Makka Tul Mukkarma.

13. Completion Report: All homeopaths have returned back to Pakistan on 29th January 2007. A completion report has been submitted to National Council for Homeopathy Ministry of Health Government of Pakistan with all supporting documents.

Thanks to Almighty Allah for successful completion of Hajj Medical Mission!