Friday, June 10, 2011

From the Editors Desk


                                      THINK HIGH AT THIS TIME
                CCIM-MEMBER (SIDDHA)  ELECTION-2011


                 CENTRAL COUNCIL OF INDIAN MEDICINE is the statuary body under GOVT OF INDIA to make policy decisions regarding Siddha Graduation and Post Graduation studies along with the regulations in the clinical practices.
We all know INIAN MEDICAL COUNCIL (IMC) is such a body that of CCIM having more attention in the currently rather than CCIM, it is because of that
(i) the policy makers of Indian systems of Medicine are not having most clarity in their vision and mission
(ii) Siddha community (member) is the most minority community comparing with Ayurveda and Unani. A  siddha man cannot able to even touch the post of President of CCIM because of having 2 to 3 members. It is the time to think of increasing membership of Siddha in CCIM, we have to raise the voice for making amendment to increase membership of Siddha.
(iii) Even though there are various committees  (Registration, Education etc …) in CCIM, co-ordination among the committees and systems is seems to be poor, which has to be rectified.
Now a days , Govt of India is  thinking of integrating medical system for better service to public. Each and every system of Medicine is having own limit and bound in treating the patients. Certainly there are some vacuums in each system which could be filled by other systems, by sharing their knowledge and sciences with out major compromise in their fundamentals.
Govt of India having more plans and schemes for AYUSH . To impart the schemes the concept of integration among systems including Allopathic science  is essential.
The members of CCIM should having a sharp vision to take all systems of medicine under a roof headed  by the systems of our INDIAN SOIL and fight for declaration of HEALTH POLICY as such of CHINA which is giving primary importance to Chinese Tradition Medicine.
You should vote and elect , a energetic and enthusiciastic personality for CCIM and keep on feeding the above concepts to all Siddha physicians including the winning member of CCIM.                                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                           Yours
                                                                          
                                                                                 Dr.D. Velayudam

News Letter of TMK-CHENNAI


BIO-DIVERSE

 
                 India, one among 12 Bio-diverse countries of the world, is abode of 45000 floral species, out of which 15000 are those of    Medicinal Plants. Approx. 85% to 90% of these come from the wild.    Department of ISM&H, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India, has identified 1500        medicinal plants of which 500 are     commonly used in the preparation of herbal drugs. 150 species have been categorized as endangered .

News lettwr of TMK-CHENNAI


Life in a forest: the bigger picture

 
Over two-thirds of known terrestrial species          
           With one third of the  Earth's   surface is covered with forests it is no surprise that they are among the most notable storehouses of biological diversity on the planet. Forests house over two-thirds of known terrestrial species, including the largest share of threatened species. 

The forest ecosystem
                 The forest is a complex ecosystem - a biological system with distinct, myriad interrelationships of the living part of the environment (plants, animals and micro-organisms) to each other and to the non-living, inorganic or abiotic parts (soil, climate, water, organic debris, rocks). It is an intricate and complex web - fragile but at the same time holding the ecosystem together

news letter tmk-chennai may 2011


WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION

 
Household energy and health: WHO rationale for action: 
• Worldwide, 2 million tones of biomass are consumed by about 2.4 billion people for cooking in households on a daily basis. 
• The use of biomass fuel       accounts for between 10% and 15% of global energy use.
• Demand for biomass fuel is  expected to rise due to population growth, and reduced  availability  of alternative fuels.
• Unsustainable harvesting of wood as biomass fuel can put pressure on forests and local
ecosystems where wood is scarce and population is dense:
  In South East Asia, alarming rates of deforestation lead to land degradation and  deforestation.
 In China, the illegal cutting of fuel wood rendered forest plantations
unproductive, leading to the roll out of the Chinese National Improved Stove


Programme.
  In sub-Saharan Africa, many countries have witnessed the depletion of more than three   quarters of their wood cover.
• Combustion in open fires and traditional stoves tends to be highly inefficient resulting in    energy loss and emission of   products of incomplete combustions. 
• Products of incomplete combustion contain potent greenhouse gases and hazardous substances, the exposure to which is linked to more than 1.5 million deaths per year.  
• Improving household energy practices or switching to alternative fuels can save energy
and reduce emissions and hence make an important contribution to achieving MDG 7.


Planned activities 
WHO aims to mitigate local deforestation mainly by supporting the improvement of household
energy devices. WHO plans to contribute to this through the   following 4 focus areas: 
A broadened evidence base:
• Quantification of the links     between household energy, deforestation and greenhouse gas
emissions, and development of win-win policies for health, energy and the environment.
• Comprehensive comparative review of the effectiveness of different household energy
and health interventions.
• Updated assessment of the burden of disease attributable to  indoor air pollution from solid fuel use.
Technical support to countries:
• Guidance material and technical support for the health sector and other sectors.
• Assistance to regional and national efforts in implementing household energy and health policies and programmes.


Ongoing monitoring:
• Updated statistics on solid fuel use and household energy practices in developing
countries.
• Development of indoor air pollution indicators.
Practical normative guidance:
• Global indoor air quality guidelines for household combustion and technology-based
guidance.

news letter of TMK-Chennai May-2011


          FORESTS 2011

 
The International Year of Forests 2011 (Forests 2011) logo is designed to convey the theme of “Forests for People” celebrating the central role of people in the sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of our world’s forests.
     The iconographic elements in the design depict some of the multiple values of forests and the need for a 360degree perspective: forests provide shelter to people and habitat to biodiversity; are a source of food, medicine and clean water; and play a vital role in maintaining a stable global climate and environment.
   All of these elements taken together reinforce the message that forests are vital to the survival and well being of people everywhere, all 7 billion of us.
Forests cover 31% of total land area .
The livelihoods of 1.6 billion people depend on forests.
Forests provide a home to more than 300 million people worldwide .
The total global trade in forest products was valued at around $379 billion in 2005 .Forests are home to 80% of terrestrial biodiversity