Swami Ramdev, doctors decide to work for patients' welfare

Nagpur, Jan 7 (UNI) Noted Yoga expert Swami Ramdev and representatives of doctors here have decided to work independently ''without encroaching upon each others' territories'' but with the common intention of benefit of patients.

The understanding came between Swami Ramdev and practitioners of allopathy at the end of a lengthy discussion hosted by Nagpur Union of Working Journalists (NUWJ) here yesterday.

NUWJ hosted the discussion after a war of words broke out between the Yoga exponent and the doctors, including Indian Medical Association (IMA) President-Elect Dr Ashok Adhao, over the efficacy of Ayurveda, Yoga and Pranayam in treating various illness, especially cancer and hypertension. Dr Adhao had even challenged the Swami to treat and cure some cancer patients from Nagpur.

Incidentally, Swami Ramdev claimed during the discussion to treat cancer patients from the city, but said they should agree voluntarily to undergo the treatment.

Dr Adhao and other medical practitioners admitted that Yoga and Pranayam were effective as supportive treatment, saying these methods could not be used to treat serious illnesses like cancer, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria. However, Swami Ramdev replied that the methods had been effective in treating cancer, but he had never claimed to have treated TB and malaria.

Swami Ramdev said his criticism of the medical profession was directed at the few black sheep therein, but asserted that an overwhelming majority of medical practitioners were doing yeoman service to society.

He said he had conducted clinical control trials on the effect of Yoga and Pranayam on stress, and was conducting similar tests for cancer. The results of which would be open to scrutiny by experts as and when available, he added.

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