Matters of medicine Protect surrogates
There are instances where traditional systems of medicine have come to the rescue where modern medicine couldn’t. Speaking several years ago at the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, Prathap C Reddy, the founder of Apollo chain of hospitals, observed that 25 years from then, the present system of medicine would become an alternative system.
He recounted interesting personal experiences to testify to the efficacy of alternative medicine. He said when his brother had a heart disease, allopathic doctors predicted he had only six weeks left to live; the Ayurvedic treatment his brother underwent in Kerala ensured his survival for 42 more years.
Reddy recalled he had his fractured hand treated at the popular bone setting clinic in Puttur in Andhra ainiltyPradesh’s Chittoor district. He also said the Rauwolfia Serpentina (Sarpagandha) was still the most trusted root by cardiologists.
Ayurveda is already a hit in Russia, coming to the country following the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, to treat victims of radiation.
Today, there is a serious need for alternative medicines. The new guidelines of the Indian Council of Medical Research for testing indigenous systems of medicine will address this issue.
It will benefit the poor if low-cost, reliable and effective medicines based on traditional systems were made available. The country also needs to meet the challenges faced by the Indian health care industry, as mentioned by Reddy. These are gross inadequacy of health resources, lack of access to health care and insufficient bed strength.
R Prabhu Raj Mumbai awaiting their turn to even be heard for decades, be willing to entertain and decide the maximum height of the human pyramid? The human pyramid is part of the dahi-handi ritual on Janmashtami in Maharashtra.
There are reports now of some groups openly defying such a limit fixed by the apex court, creating a piquant situation for itself as well as for the agencies that comply with judicial direction from the highest court of the land.
If indeed such reports are true, will the court proceed against those found violating its direction? While refusing a plea for raising the 20-foot height, the court seemed concerned about reports of spinal cord injuries caused by such human pyramids. The question that arises is: Should for the same reason all adventure sports be also banned?
S K Choudhury Bengaluru With reference to Archis Mohan and Veena Mani’s article, “Draft Bill to ban commercial surrogacy” (August 25) the “altruistic surrogacy” provisions of the Bill are in line with the Indian social ethos. The ethical stand here is the child is not a product of transaction, that is, it prohibits commodifying childbirth.
However, some issues require strong vigil. Post-natal care of the surrogate mother is important, as complications during pregnancy can turn fatal. There are instances of implantation of multiple embryos for higher chances of success. Unplanned twins or a weak child are sometimes abandoned. There are also chances of commercial surrogacy going underground, or surrogate mothers getting trafficked to other countries. Such instances can jeopardise the safety and security of surrogates. With a proper enforcement mechanism in place, the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016, can become a much-needed framework for the hitherto unregulated sector.
Sachin V K Jadhav Washim