Date:23/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/23/stories/2008072350100200.htm

Kerala - Kozhikode

Tapping the riches of tribal medicine

R. Madhavan Nair

Kozhikode: Medical practices of tribal people evoke mixed reactions - some look upon it with suspicion, some are curious. Some others dismiss tribal healers as an illiterate and a superstitious lot. To public health workers, these healers are an obstacle to their work.

Warnings against blind belief tribal medicine are also issued from time to time.

However, there are quite a few who have deep faith in tribal methods of diagnosis, therapeutic practices and pharmacopoeia. For them, this system is rational and effective like any other form of medicine.

Of late, the government has been striving to preserve tribal medical lore considering their anthropological importance and the faith that at least some have reposed in tribal medicine. Many believe that tribal people have effective herbal medicines for snake bites, fracture, wounds, and cuts. Ayurvedic researchers and medicine makers acknowledge their skills in identifying medicinal plants.

“Revival of tribal medicine,” a book by N. Viswanathan Nair outlines the steps taken to revive tribal medicine in Kerala.

One section of the book deals with tribal medicine and healers. Other parts focus on the three-year certificate course in tribal medicine conducted by the Scheduled Tribes Development Department in association with the Kerala Institute for Research Training and Development Studies of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (KIRTADS).

The introduction of the certificate course, after establishing the Centre for Tribal Medicine in 1992-93 at Valad in Mananthavadi in Wayanad, was the beginning of the action plan to revive tribal medicine. A series of workshops attended by tribal healers followed.

These workshops made them realise that their knowledge could earn them more money besides contributing to the society.

Another feature of the book is a directory of tribal healers that lists their names, addresses.

Mr. Viswanathan Nair, who is also former director of KIRTADS, claims that the popularity of tribal medicine has increased over the years. During 1995-2002 KIRTADS provided an annual grant of Rs. 7,500 each to nearly 50 tribal healers for raising medicinal plant gardens, improving healing facilities at home and to buy utensils to prepare medicines.

He believes the research undertaken in collaboration with Regional Research Laboratory and patenting of therapeutic recipe for diabetes have enhanced credibility of tribal medicines.