Status of Using Indigenous Knowledge in Management of HIV / AIDS in Sri Lanka

Status of Using Indigenous Status of Using Indigenous Knowledge in Management of Knowledge in Management of

HIV / AIDS in Sri Lanka HIV / AIDS in Sri Lanka

Dr. Danister L. Perera Dr. Danister L. Perera

RegistrarRegistrar

Ayurvedic Medical CouncilAyurvedic Medical Council

Sri LankaSri Lanka

2005.08.11 DLC Sri Lanka

IK in Healthcare in Sri Lanka IK in Healthcare in Sri Lanka We are the only country having a separate ministry for We are the only country having a separate ministry for

Indigenous Medicine Indigenous Medicine Ministry of Indigenous MedcineMinistry of Indigenous Medcine

Department of AyurvedaDepartment of Ayurveda BMARIBMARI NITMNITM Teaching HospitalsTeaching Hospitals Herbal GardensHerbal Gardens

Sri Lanka Ayurveda Drugs CorporationSri Lanka Ayurveda Drugs Corporation

Ministry of Higher Education Ministry of Higher Education University Institutes of Ayurveda / Siddha / Unani University Institutes of Ayurveda / Siddha / Unani

Provincial Ministries Provincial Ministries Provincial Department of AyurvedaProvincial Department of Ayurveda

District HospitalsDistrict Hospitals Rural HospitalsRural Hospitals Central Dispensaries Central Dispensaries


Sri Lankan Indigenous Sri Lankan Indigenous Knowledgebase Knowledgebase

Total number of traditional Total number of traditional practitioners is 11647practitioners is 11647

41% (4869) is General Practitioners 41% (4869) is General Practitioners

59% (6778) is Special or Unisectional 59% (6778) is Special or Unisectional

68% of total (17038) registered 68% of total (17038) registered Ayurvedic practitioners is Traditional Ayurvedic practitioners is Traditional PractitionersPractitioners

There are another thousand of local There are another thousand of local healers unregistered at village levelhealers unregistered at village level


AIDS as a Disease Entity in IK AIDS as a Disease Entity in IK

Low immunityNeurological impairments Digestive and metabolic ailments Impairments with memoryRapid degenerative processEnhancement of cancerous conditionsLow libido and strength of virilityMicrocirculatory impairments Displacement of astral body


IK Aspects of Management of AIDSIK Aspects of Management of AIDS

Biophysical Psychological Astrological / Cosmological Religious / Spiritual Cultural


IK in HIV / AIDS ManagementIK in HIV / AIDS Management

IK Involvements in HIV/ AIDS State Private

Human Resource DevelopmentHuman Resource Development 00 00

Research Research 00 00

Publications Publications 00 04

Curative InterventionsCurative Interventions 00 08

Seminars / Presentations Seminars / Presentations 00 06

Product DevelopmentProduct Development 00 01

National Level Proposals National Level Proposals 01 00


Contribution of IK Practitioners

Number IKPs of reported to be involving in Number IKPs of reported to be involving in management of HIV / AIDS is very fewmanagement of HIV / AIDS is very fewDuring last 10 years there were several During last 10 years there were several paper advertisements claming to cure paper advertisements claming to cure AIDSAIDSThree of them were found to be quacksThree of them were found to be quacksOne is amazingly found to be lunatic One is amazingly found to be lunatic I have personally interviewed five of theseI have personally interviewed five of theseThree were found to be very much Three were found to be very much knowledgeable on the subject and seemed knowledgeable on the subject and seemed to have experimental approach to have experimental approach They claimed that HIV / AIDS can be cured They claimed that HIV / AIDS can be cured or controlled or controlled


Benefits of Using IK in HIV / AIDS Benefits of Using IK in HIV / AIDS

Enhancement of quality of lifeEnhancement of quality of life

Pacifying day-to-day health problemsPacifying day-to-day health problems

Controlling symptoms of AIDSControlling symptoms of AIDS

Lowering the rate of spread HIV Lowering the rate of spread HIV

Improvements of natural immunity Improvements of natural immunity

Psycho-spiritual harmony Psycho-spiritual harmony

Encountering the side effects and Encountering the side effects and complications of drug therapies complications of drug therapies

Complementing the conventional Complementing the conventional therapy therapy


An Innovative Case Study

A hepatitis B case was reported be A hepatitis B case was reported be having HIV positive having HIV positive

Cause of HIV is diagnosed as hepatitis Cause of HIV is diagnosed as hepatitis BB

It is concluded that hepatitis B It is concluded that hepatitis B sometimes can be transformed to HIVsometimes can be transformed to HIV

He claimed that based on that He claimed that based on that conclusion the case was successfully conclusion the case was successfully treated treated

No scientific evidence is traced for HIV No scientific evidence is traced for HIV negative negative


National Policy on ISM National Policy on ISM

Quality Care & Efficacy

Diversity in Knowledge

MainstreamingBest Practices

Plurality in System

Role in National Health

System


Problems and Issues Problems and Issues

Lack of a national model for healthcareLack of a national model for healthcare

Constrains in updating and upgrading of TM sectorConstrains in updating and upgrading of TM sector

Low recognition of role of TM in ongoing interventionsLow recognition of role of TM in ongoing interventions

Lack of research and development relating to HIV / AIDS Lack of research and development relating to HIV / AIDS management through IKmanagement through IK

No encouragement for private sector IKPs for promoting No encouragement for private sector IKPs for promoting their treatments their treatments

Benefits of IK is not discussed in national level fora Benefits of IK is not discussed in national level fora

No systematic review or documentation is done on existing No systematic review or documentation is done on existing data related to this areadata related to this area

Lack of financial support from donor agencies Lack of financial support from donor agencies


Some problems raised by IKPs Some problems raised by IKPs

Legal constrains Lack of linkage with national level research programmes Scarcity of essential medicines / herbs Lack of financial support Inadequacy of conventional evaluating criteria in treatment resultsSocial barriers created by NGOsLack of cases


Future and Suggestions Future and Suggestions

Human resource developmentResearch with IK practitioners Pharmaceutical interventions Ethnomedical database Dialogues among stakeholdersPolicy and legal reforms Sharing best practices

Documents

Status of Using Indigenous Knowledge in Management of HIV / AIDS in Sri Lanka