Experts Call for Global Push for Unani at 8Th UDMA Day Celebrations

Hyderabad: Experts on Saturday called upon manufacturers of Unani medicine for a sharper strategic focus on scientific integration, regulatory clarity and international visibility for Unani medicine. Dr Hamed Ahmed, president of the Unani Drugs Manufacturers Association (UDMA), said the industry was at a critical juncture where traditional heritage must meet contemporary expectations.

Speaking at the eighth UDMA Day celebrations, accompanied by a Unani health mela, Dr Ahmed said a detailed submission had been made to the ministry of AYUSH on the latest good manufacturing process (GMP) guidelines and also spoke of the association’s meeting with the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM) to explore clinical trials and long-term research collaborations.

Organising Chairman Hakeem Ghulam Mohiuddin said that Telangana with 10,000 practitioners remained the hub of the industry and has 64 colleges. He said that between 600 and 700 Unani-registered companies operate in Hyderabad alone.

Mohiuddin said the UDMA Day was intended to give both local and non-local manufacturers a platform to showcase their strengths, innovations and offerings. One of the strengths of the system, he added, was its transparency, as Unani physicians knew not only the indication and approach to treatment but also the minutest ingredient used in each formulation. He urged practitioners and manufacturers to modernise outreach aggressively and remain confident competitors to corporate pharmaceutical giants.

CRIUM former director Dr M.A. Waheed said there was immense potential for innovation, new drug development and targeted drug discovery within the Unani framework. He pointed out that immunomodulators, widely used today by people worldwide, were prescribed in Unani medicine thousands of years ago. Referring to the Covid-19 pandemic, he said that several Unani formulations played an important role as part of the AYUSH ministry’s national health response.