• Home

Alternative medicine centres planned

Dr. Abdul Ghaffar Abdul Ghafoor Al Hawi, Assistant Undersecretary for Curative Medicine in the MoH, said, “It has been proved that alternative medicine has achieved success the world over. The MoH is contemplating inclusion of alternative medicine treatment in its hospitals in the near future.”

Dr Al Hawi also said the MoH had tightened rules and regulations regarding practising of alternative medicine in the country. “The MoH has taken this step to ensure that the standard of alternative medicine is kept high in the country,” he said.

He explained that herbal medicine, Chinese acupuncture, muscular massage treatment and medical ozone oxygen treatments were among the alternative medicine therapies being streamlined by the MoH.

As per the new rules, people applying for a licence to practice alternative medicine need to have studied for at least five years in a reputed education institution and a minimum of three years’ experience. “The applicant will also have cleared the MoH written and oral tests in order to obtain a licence,” he stated.

Dr. Al Hawi also clarified that people practising alternative medicine are not allowed to prescribe chemical medicines or even distribute related material.

He revealed that the ozone oxygen treatment had been approved for the first time in the country. “Three licences have already been issued and experts are practising this therapy in the country,” he said.

Ozone therapy works by retaining a gas mixture and allowing it to absorb through the colon, and eventually into the circulatory system. “Alternative medicine is developing fast and has proved to complement regular medicine,” added Dr Al Hawi.

• UAE