REPORT ON PARTICIPATORY RAPID ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL HEALTH TRADITIONS

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Title
REPORT ON
PARTICIPATORY RAPID ASSESSMENT
OF LOCAL HEALTH TRADITIONS
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REPORT ON
PARTICIPATORY RAPID ASSESSMENT
OF LOCAL HEALTH TRADITIONS

Final Draft

January 2001

Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions,
50, MSH Layout, Anandanagar, Bangalore 560024
lht@frlht.ernet.in

COMMUNITIES

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KNOWLEDGE

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COMMNUNITIES

HEALTH

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We are thankful to the ETC-COMPAS, Netherlands for financial support that enabled implementation of the

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Documentation and Assessment of Local Health traditions program in selected areas across Southern India. We

are thankful to the 13 field collaborators and the local communities of the selected areas who have participated
in the study.

We are grateful to our friends who participated in the meeting on Methodology Development for Assessment of
Local Health Traditions, 4th July 1999, Bangalore. The participants were Dr. Pankaj Mehta, Associate Dean,

International Centre for Health sciences, Manipal hospital; Dr. Biju Paul, Aswini Hospital Thrissur; Kerala, Dr. As
Mohammed, Assistant Professor, Department of Community Health, St. John's Medical College; Dr. Srinivasa

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Murthy, Executive Director; Dr. Kannan, Siddha physician, Trichy, Dr. N.V Sreevaths, Ayurvedic health Care
Centre, Nallepilly, Dr. P.S. Arathy, Principal, Coimbatore Ayurveda College, Vaidya Vilas Nanai Pune; Dr.

Satyanarayana Bhat, Professor Government Ayurvedic Medical College, Bangalore, Dr. Sasidharan K., Research

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Co-ordinator, Kerala Ayurveda Samajam hospital, Shoranur, Dr. Hrishikesh Damle, Damle Clinic, Bangalore; Vaidya

G.Gangadharan, LSPSS, Coimbatore and FRLHT Team. Our heartfelt thanks to a Professor Hakim Syed
Khaleefathullah, Chairman, Unani Pharmaecopea, Chennai for his valuable guidance in developing the Unani plant
reference format.

We are immensely indebted to the local communities of Trichy, Villupuram, Virudhunagar, Peermade and Palakkad
for supporting us all through the Rapid assessment of Local Health Traditions program (RALHT). We are also

thankful to Anthodhaya Sangha of Trichy district, Auroville, Pondichery, and Covenant Center for Development,

Virudhunagar, Centre for Indian Medical Heritage, Palakkad and Peermade Development Society, Peermade. We

thank all representatives of Indian System of Medicine, Western Medicine and field botanists of respective
field areas who participated in the assessment workshops.

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A substantial literature research was carried out as a supporting data for the assessment workshops. We wish to

thank Dr. Sastry MS, Pharmacologist, for pharmacological input, Dr. Ragavendra Babu, Dr. Suma TP, Dr. Roopa,

and Dr. Bindu for Ayurvedic references. Dr. Roohi Zaman, Dr. Ameerullah Khan, Dr. Salma Bano for Unani
references and Dr. Raja Lakshmi, for Sidha reference.

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This project would' t have proceeded so far without the constant support and guidance from Shri Darshan
Shankar, Director FRLHT, Shri DK.Ved, Co-ordinator Research and Administration, FRLHT, Shri Raju G, Co­

ordinator Exsitu, FRLHT and Exsitu team.

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Our heartfelt thanks to all our friends at FRLHT for their kind co-operation. Our special thanks to Shri. Vijay
Barve, Shri. Kartikeyan, Shri Anbarasan, Dr. Unnikrishnan, Dr. Venugopal and Dr. Geetha. We are also thankful to

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Dr. Ravikumar, Shri Udayan, Shri. Subramani, botanists of FRLHT, who have always come to our help. We wish to
thank Shri BS Somashekar, Insitu conservation and training, FRLHT for his timely advice. We are extremely
thankful to Smt Hema Padmini, Smt. Sunitha Oliver and Shri. Paramesh of Communication unit, Shri Somashekar
PV, Shri Gopi and Smt. Mangala, Accounts department of FRLHT for their support.

We also thank Shri

Manjunath, Shri Dorai swamy, Shri Murugan who have taken us to the field locations all through.
We thank Shri Ganesh Babu, for his Botanical inputs during the workshops, Smt. Stella Anbarasan for translating

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the data, Shri Olaganathan, Dr. Loganathan and Dr. Satyanarayan Bhat for processing the data of the rapid

assessment of local health traditions workshop.

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Dr. Hafeel, Sumo T5
Documentation and Assessment of Local Health Traditions,
TSM Unit, FRLHT, Bangalore

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Report on Rapid Assessment of Local Health Traditions of Tamilnadu 1999-2000 FRLHT
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TABLE OF CONTENT

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Content

Page

Acknowledgement
Table of Content
Abbreviations
Executive Summary
Back ground and objective
Methodology
Phase -I Comprehensive Documentation
Phase -II Rapid Assessment of LHTs (RALHT)
Analysis
Learning
Conclusion
Bibliography
Appendices
a. Sample data of RALHT results
b. Reference data from Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani &
pharmacology
c. Format used to record the group discussion in RALHT
d. About the field collaborators

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Report on Rapid Assessment ofLocal Health Traditions ofTantilnadu 1999-2000 FRLHT

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ABBREVIATIONS
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ANSA
CCD
CIMH
FRLHT
GOs
ISM
LHT
NGOs
PDS
PRA
RALHT
TBA

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Anthodaya Sangh
Covenant Centre for Development
Centre for Indian Medical Heritage
Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions
Governmental Organisations
Indian Systems of Medicine
Local Health Traditions
Non-Governmental Organisations
Peermade Development Society
Participatory' Rural Appraisal
Rapid Assessment of Local Health Traditions
Traditional Birth Attendant

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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FRLHT
initiated
a
project
on
Comprehensive
Documentation
and
Rapid
Assessment of Local Health
Traditions in 1998 with the
objective of promoting the best
local health traditions.
This
program was done in two phases,
comprehensive documentation of
Local health traditions followed
by
a
participatory
rapid
assessment of selected health
practices.

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Documentation
phase
covered selected areas in the states of Maharashtra. Karnataka. Tamilnadu and Kerala. This was done in
collaboration with thirteen local Non governmental organisations working in the area of revitalisation of
Local Health Traditions (LHTs).

First phase of this process involved more than 1000 folk healers and 1800 households documenting their
knowledge, resource and socio-cultural aspects related to LHTs.
In the second phase, a Participatory' rapid assessment of health practices was conducted to find out and
promote effective local solutions at household level for prioritised health conditions. The health conditions
were prioritised through Participatory Rural Appraisals in five selected areas. Based on these home
remedies were chosen from the household practices from the respective area. These remedies were
subjected to a rapid assessment involving local households, folk healers. Indian Systems of Medicine &
Western Biomedicine physicians, botanists and representatives of NGOs.

The basis for this assessment was the practical experience of local communities and health care experts,
supportive literature reference of Indian systems of Medicine and modern pharmacological research. These
series of five workshops assessed 50 home remedies for more than 20 health conditions.
The practices that are positively assessed by these multidisciplinary groups will be promoted in the
respective areas for the improvement of primary health care. Methodology evolved in this process is being
developed into a training module for wider promotion.

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Local health traditions are locality, community specific practices, beliefs and customs related to health. 8
These diverse and informal systems of health care measures are being passed on from generations to..
generations by word of mouth through millions of common households and specialized folk healers. Local 8
health traditions are dependant on the natural resources. It is surprising to note that there are about 8000 8
plant species used by 4,639 ethnic communities of India.
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These health traditions that are integral part of lifestyles of communities include all the aspects of health
care Viz. prevention, cure and promotion. Knowledge of home remedies and health related customs that are 8
prevalent in millions of households are living expressions of these traditions. Skills of thousands of 8
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

specialised folk healers like bonesetters, poisonous bite healers, traditional birth attendants and folk
veterinary healers are health sen ice providers of this informal health care system. Existence of these can be
seen through out the country in parallel with codified indigenous systems of medicine and western
medicine.

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Specialised skills in these areas include diagnostic methods such as naadi pareeksha (pulse examination),
mootra praeeksha(QX2Lmn?X\Qn of urine), visha pareeksha(&\agnvs\AQ and prognostic methods in poisoning )
and varma kalai (diagnosis and treatment using vital points in the body) to name a few in the folk healers*
practice. Diagnosis and reduction techniques of fractures, emergency care like treating the natural poisons,
specialised eye care and treatment of individual organ related conditions are some of the skills of the
traditional healing. The mriga vaidyam (veterinary care) is another integral part of the community’s live
stalks* health care. For example areas like Chitradurga of Karnataka, the majority of healer's population are
of traditional veterinary healers.

These time tested health traditions still serve a great majority of India's rural population. For example
according to a Voluntary Health Association of India report (1992: 65) only 6.3% of rural deliveries are
institutionalised in rural India and the remaining is managed either by trained or non-trained birth
attendants. An estimate says that traditional bonesetters manage around 60 % of broken bones.
Increase in demand of natural products has boosted the commercial interests in the resources used by local
health traditions. These local health traditions have been tapped for their potential by national and
international pharmaceuticals for drug development. Recently developed drug for hepatitis- from the plant
Phyllanthus amarus. Jeevani- (developed from Trichopus zeylanicus) based on Kerala's Kaani tribes'
knowledge, used as an immuno-modulator. Piper longum as a bio-availability enhancer are few among
patented drugs from the traditional knowledge base. There are many more such potential candidates
awaiting patents. Thus on the one hand the local health traditions have been viewed as a treasure house for
resource hunting.

On the other hand, the present political and societal attitude towards LHTs is discouraging despite their
efficac\___aiid _ability to promisejimch in the Primary health care sector. It is understoodThaTerosion of these
traditions is at an alarming pace. Lack of confidence in the users and practitioners and marginalisation by
other politically dominant medical stream systems are also contributing to this erosion. Nothing seems to be
an eye opener to the political sphere where the majority of the attention is being given to the mainstream
western biomedicine.

Lack of accessibility in terms of resources, infrastructure and skilled manpower in the rural India shows
inadequacy of the present main streamed medical sen ice through the Primary Health Centers. Even after
Alma Ata. incorporation of the traditional health practices, to provide ‘health for all* has not been
materialized in the current formal primary health care systems. Thus the present health care system is still
highly capital intensive and external resource oriented.

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Report on Rapid Assessment of Local Health Traditions ofTamilnadu 1999-2000 FRLHT

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This context demands a movement that incorporates the "local resource and local knowledge dependant"
effective practices in the health care system. The process of understanding these traditions and finding out
the effective practices in these rich medical cultures has not yet gained considerable momentum.
Rapid Assessment of Local Health Traditions (RALHT) initiated here is a systematic approach to document
and identify the relevant practices that can contribute to better community health care. This RALHT
approach is a judicious blend oflocal experienceTand other health care systems.

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METHODOLOGY

The project on comprehensive documentation and rapid assessment of local health traditions was carried
out in two phases. The initial phase included the data collection among householdyand folk healers. Second
phase consisted of the participatory approaches in finding out the priority health conditions and assessing

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Phase -I : Comprehensive Documentation

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Development of Data Collection Tools

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Questionnaires were developed to capture knowledge, resource and socio-cultural aspects of health
"traditions fronTthe healers and households. Different subsets of questionnaires were designed in order to
record different levels of knowledge and practice. They are as follows:
1. Two separate sets of household questionnaires namely:
• Home remedies
• Food and regimen

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2. Five subsets of questionnaires for folk healers namely:
• Mriga Vaidyas (Veterinary practitioners)
• Visha Vaidyas (Who treats poisonous bites)
• Traditional Birth Attendants
• Traditional Bonesetters
• General category (who treat general /specific organ/system related health conditions)

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Prior to documentation phase, a pilot study was carried out in four different field locations of Kerala,
Tamilnadu and Karnataka in order to design the questionnaires and finalise with the documentation
approach for the study.
A pilot study for field-testing the questionnaires was carried out by the Indian Systems of Medicine (ISM)
physicians of FRLHT research & informatics unit. During this phase, data on the existing folk healers
population was also collected.
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Selection of Field Collaborators
Prior to the initiation of the documentation phase, a meeting was called to involve field collaborators (local
NGOs) for the study. This meeting discussed the need of Comprehensive Documentation and Rapid
Assessment of Local Health Traditions, its operational details and responsibilities of both coordinating and
field agencies. Decision was made in this meeting on the details of the capacity building process for field
collaborators. The group also agreed to constitute a local support committee, involving the local community
that would support and monitor all the revitalisation activities. Subsequently, these committees were formed
with representation of folk healers, panchayath members, teachers, and community leaders of the respective
areas.

Thirteen field agencies associated with FRLHT in Ex-situ conservation activities were considered for this program. These agencies were concentrating on conservation of medicinal plants and community out reach
programs related to traditional health care in their areas. They also had good rapport with local community
and had already initiated revitalisation program as part of ex-situ conservation program.

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Trainings for the Field Staff

A series of training workshops were carried out in four states to orient the field staff in documenting the
local health traditions in their study area. Training programs were for three days, which comprised of
classroom and practical sessions on documentation. The
trainees were selected by the field collaborators from the
respective localities.

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1
Sampling of Study Population

Above 80% folk healers were covered from each
category of specialised and general healers in the
respective areas. About 6-8 knowledgeable households

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in each hamlet of 100-200 families from respective
operational areas were interviewed and documented.

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Data was recorded by individual interviews of households and folk healers. Field level coordinators verified
the recorded data. The recorded data obtained from the field were translated from the respective vernacular
languages on specific programmable formats in English at FRLHT.

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figure 1 From PRA training

Data Collection and Processing

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Analysis of the Data

A preliminary analysis of the data obtained was done for both the categories. Especially the data on home
remedies were analysed and those relevant were fed into RALHT workshops.

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Phase -II: Rapid Assessment of LHTs (RALHT)

In the phase II, the objective was to develop a RALHT protocol to identify the best home remedies for
promotion of primary health care. In order to meet the objective, series of five RALHT workshops were
conducted in Kerala and Tamilnadu.

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Planning Meeting on RALHT

As a pre-requisite to RALHT protocol development, a workshop was conducted to finalise the methodology
of assessment of local health traditions at household level. The participants were representatives of Indian
System of Medicine (Ayurveda, Siddha and UnanV). community and public health, modem pharmacology.
The formats for the assessment workshop and reference data collection format on individual resources
(plants, animals and minerals & metals) used were finalised for respective systems of medicine. It was
suggested that the referenced data would facilitate the respective systems experts in assessing the practices.
A format to record the communities* understanding about the disease, its management, its cost feasibility,
and efficacy was also finalised.
Subsequently five areas were short listed for assessment workshops from the thirteen field collaborators.
This was based on the completion of documentation and processing of data, diversity of practices, quality.
Auroville, Pondicherry, CCD, Madurai/Virudhunagar, ANSA, Trichy, CIMH, Palakkad, PDS, Peennade.

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Pre-Workshop Exercise

Prior to the RALHT workshop, a pre-workshop exercise was conducted. The main objective of the exercise
was to prioritise health conditions in the specific study area selected for assessment workshop. This was
done through Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA). The respondents of the documentation phase

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participated in the exercise. There were 20-35 members. The trained field staffs from NGOs facilitated
these PRAs.

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Figure 2 - Prioritisation of health problem - Matrix
ranking

Listing out the health conditions seen in their area
by the community.
Prioritisation of the important health conditions
from the list.
Listing out the criteria used to prioritise the health
conditions by the community.
Developing a matrix using the criteria and the
health conditions
Based on the each criterion ranking the health
conditions (Scoring)

The health conditions that received highest scores were
selected for the assessment. Communities’ understanding about the prioritised health conditions like causes,
symptoms and stages were also discussed and documented during the exercise. As a result of these
exercises, health conditions ranging from 6-14 in each area were selected. Health conditions obtained from
these PRA workshops were screened based on:

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Availability of home remedies from the documented households data during phase I.

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Those remedies which were repeatedly mentioned during interviews

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Accessibility of these natural resources in the study area and affordability of the resources

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Remedies that are easy to prepare

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Based on the pre workshop exercise, these home remedies of a specific area were considered for
assessment.

Literature References for the Resources

Natural resource (Plant, animal, mineral) references for the selected plants, from classical literature of
Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani. modern pharmacology were collected using respective formats finalised
during the expert’s meeting. The participants for the assessment exercise used these references. This data
basically served the participants to comment on a selected local practice.

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Participatory Rapid Assessment of LHTs (RALHT) Exercise

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Principles of RALHT

The rapid assessment exercise is a community-based assessment exercise in order to select best home
remedies for promotion of primary health care. This is a participatory approach, which helps in finding out
communities’ effective health practices by the local community, folk healers, Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and
allopathic practitioners, botanists, researchers.

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This PRA exercise had following 5 steps:

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Basis of assessment

The basis of the assessment is the practical experiences of the local communities; experience of the
indigenous codified system practitioners with the support of classical literatures of Ayurveda, Siddha, and
Unani and researched pharmacological findings.
Selection of the Remedies
Following criteria were used to select the remedies for the promotion.

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1. The remedies that have strong positive empirical evidence and experience of local communities on its
effectiveness
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Consensus on efficacy by the multi disciplinary expert group or confirmation of efficacy by at least one
of the Indian systems of Medicine (Ayurveda. Siddha and Unani)

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3. The remedies that have strong positive local empirical evidence and strong negative assessment from all
the indigenous systems will be subjected for further community based research and clinical studies.

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The process of the exercise conducted is as follows:

Briefing Sessions

A briefing session was made to the rapporteurs and facilitators about the DALHT program, RALHT
methodology on the previous day of the exercise. This was organised to enable them for effective
documentation and facilitation during the workshop. On the same day this along with community members
and local botanists collected voucher specimens of reported plants for confirmation during the workshop.
On the workshop day, all the participants were briefed about the Participatory Rapid Assessment of Local
Health Traditions program and their individual role in the workshop. This was done in 2 separate sessions
for the expert and community. The formats for recording the practices and comments were also explained to
the expert groups.

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Formation of Working Groups
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Followed by briefing session, different groups were
formed with 12-20 members. Each group consisted of
community members (households), a representative from
Ayurveda. Siddha. Unani, Allopathy, two folk healers,
botanist, facilitator and two rapporteurs.

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I Discussions in the Working Group
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Figure 3 From RALHT group session

Each group facilitators presented the documented data

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Members of each working group

related to the prioritised health conditions and its local
remedies followed in the households.

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Discussions in the working group basically comprised
of 2 aspects:

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1. Community

2. Folk healers
3. Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, physician and Western
biomedicine
4. Botanist
5. Rapporteurs (2 members)

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6. Facilitators/NGO

1. Communities' understanding about the description
on the health condition, it causes and symptoms

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2. Health condition management by households. This included the details such as resources used and its
confirmation using voucher specimens, their proportion, preparation of medicines, dosage form, dosage
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and diet etc.

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These 2 aspects were cross checked among the participants as follows:

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The discussions were documented in written form by the rapporteurs and the experts as individual
comments in the structured formats in each working group.

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Plenary Session

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After each working group completed discussing critically about all the parameters required they assembled
for a plenary session. During this session all the respective groups discussed the results or outcome of their
exercise with others. Any differences of opinion were clarified and a common understanding was derived.
Based on the 5 RALHT exercise, a rapid assessment methodology has been evolved to assess local health
practices to promote the best .remedies. This participatory method involves local community and
multidisciplinary health care experts. About 50 remedies were assessed for 20 health conditions from 3
study areas of Tamilnadu.

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ANALYSIS & FINDINGS

A preliminary analysis was done of the complete process and following are the findings of the same. This
analysis and report includes only the RALHT programs in three areas ofTamilnadu (Trichy, Pondicherry,
Villupuram, Virudhunagar)

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a. Conditions Reported from Households

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Following were the conditions reported during the survey in three places {Pondicherry, Trichy and Virudhunagar).
These 106 conditions are partially or completely treated at household level.
54 Inflammation in the eyes
T Abdominal pain during menstrual period
55 Insect bite
2 /KnemwJRathasokai
56 Intestinal worms
3 Back pain
57 Irritation in the eyes
4 Bleeding from the nose
58 Janni- fever type
5 Bleeding gums
59 Jaundice
6 Blood clots in minor trauma
60[Joint inflammation
7 Body itch
61 Joint pain
8 Boils in the skin
62 Kanvizhi- Eye disorder
9 Boils in the ear
63 Lack of appetite
10 Boils in the eyelids
64 Lice
H Breathing difficulty
65 Loose motions
12 Brittle teeth
66 Loose motions with blood
13 Burning eyes
67 Loose motions with mucus
14 Burning micturition
68 Malaria
15 Burning sensation in the legs
69 Measles
16 Chest pain
70 Medicines in pregnancy
17 Chicken pox
71 Mouth ulcers
18 Cholera
72 New bom care
19 Constipation
73 Noise in the ear
20 Cough and cold in children
74 One sided head ache
21 Cracks in the heal/feet
75 Other diseases in the eyes
22 Cuts
76 Pain in micturition
23 Dandruff
77 Pain in the eyes
24 Delivery care
78 Paksha vata janni- fever associated with paralysis
25 Diarrhoea in children

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26 Different types of pain in the body
27 Dhobis itch
28 Dry cough
29 Dryness in the skin
30 Dust falling in the eyes
31 Ear ache
32 Ear discharge
33 Edema of feet
34 Edema of other body parts
35 Epilepsy
36 Excess menstruation
37 Excess thirst
38 Eye sight- to improve
39 Fever
40 Fever, cough and cold
41 Foul smelling discharge
42 Gas trouble
43 General health promotion

80 Productive cough
81 Psoriasis
82 Redness in the eyes
83 Running nose
84 Scorpion bite
85 Skin conditions in children
86 Skin rashes
87 Snake bite
88 Sneezing
89 Sores
90 Sour belching
9? Spider poison
92 Split hairs
93 Sprain
94 Stomach pain
95|Tastelessness
96 Thalai pittham - A type of head ache

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Report on Rapid Assessment ofLocal Health Traditions ofTamilnadu 1999-2000 FRLHT j 3

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45 Giddiness
46 Graying of hair
47 Hair falling
48 Hair growth - to promote
49 Head ache
501 Heart bum
51 Hyper tension
52 Indigestion
53 Indigestion/lack of appetite in cows/not gazing

98 To improve breast milk
99 Tooth ache
100 Vaal a disorders
loT Vaata neer - Vata type of edema
102 Vomiting
103 White discharge
104 Whooping cough
105 Wounds
106 Yellowish urine

b. Natural Resources Used

The resources used in the household
health care are ranging from 84-127
PLANT RESOURCES USED IN HOME
in three areas of Tamilnadu where
REMEDIES
13%
the RALHT workshop were done.
84
Maximum number of plant species
□ Climber
from the operational area of CCD.
□ TRICHY
B Herb
The materials used in the home
■ VIRUDHUNAGAR
□ Shrub
remedies also include thirty-two
□ PONDICHERY
□ Tree
resources of animal origin and
nineteen
of
mineral
origin.
Maximum number of plant species used in home remedies falls in to the category of herbs (44%).

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PLANT RESOURCE HABIT (USED IN HOME
REMEDIES)

8
8
8
8
8

c. List of Prioritized Conditions

Following are the list of prioritised conditions in each area, were RALHT workshops were conducted.

8

CCD - VIRUDHUNAGAR DISTRICT, TAMILNADU
1. Painful/Un bearable conditions

7. Conditions that are not having

2. Conditions affecting daily activities

satisfactory treatment in allopathic
medication

3.

i
8

Conditions that are curable with great
difficulty

8.

4.

Communicable diseases

9. Conditions needing strict restriction on

8

6. Conditions that are treated with folk

i
8
8

5. Conditions coming suddenly

food & regimen
10. Commonly seen conditions
11. Frequently seen conditions

medicine

List of Conditions: CCD
S No Conditions local term
2__ Janni_____________
7
Kaalerichil_________
3
Kannvali__________
Kushta____________
Maadavidai vayitru vali
6
Manjal kaamalai_____
Nenjuvali__________
8
Palluvali___________
9 ___ Perumpadu_________
10 _
Rathakothippu______
11 __ Sirangu___________
12
Vaayu

English term/translation
Fever type_____________
Burning sensation of the feet
Eye pain______________
Leprosy / Skin disorder____
Painful menstruation______
Jaundice__________
Chest pain_____________
Tooth ache_____________
Excessive menstruation____
Hyper tension___________
Skin condition__________
Gas trouble

±
8

Treatment expenditure

AUROVILLE BIO-REGION, PONDICHERY,TAMILNADU
1. Unbearable/painful
•2. Giving rise to mental worries

3.
4.

Having no household remedies
Contagious

Report on Rapid Assessment ofLocal Health Traditions ofTamilnadu 1999-2000 FRLHT J 4
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Conditions that causes other diseases

9. Occurring in all seasons
10. Affecting the life of the child
11. Needs diet restrictions
12. Availability
of
folk

Sleeplessness
Frequently occurring
S.** Affecting income
6.
7.

List of Conditions: Auroville
SNo
Conditions local term
J__
Suram/Jwaram_______
2
Chali________________
3
Vellai paduthal_______
4 ____
Shetha Bhedhi_______
5 ____
Pallu vali____________
6
Vaayu

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medicine

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English term/translation
Fever__________________
Cold
White discharge_________
Loose motion type_______
Tooth ache_____________
Gas trouble

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ANSA - LALGUDI TALUK, TRICHY DISTRICT, TAMILNADU
1.
2.

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3.

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4.

Frequently occurring conditions
Conditions which seen in all people
and age group
Availability of cure in folk medicine
or allopathic medicine
Causes other diseases

!

Life threatening diseases
Incurable diseases

5.
6.
7.

No effective treatment

8.
9.

Difficulty in doing job
More expenditure on treatment

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List of conditions: ANSA
Conditions local term
Putrunoi______________
Manjal kamalia_________
Ooral arippu___________
Rathavaanthi___________
Perumvyaadhi__________
Otraithalaivali__________
Vayitruvali____________
Vellaipaduthal_________
Moo lam_______________
Chali__________________
Maandam

SNo
j___
2 ___
3 ___
4
5___
_6__
7 ___
8 ___
9 ___
10
11

English term/translation
Cancer_________________
Jaundice_______________
Itching_________________
Blood vomiting_________
Leprosy________________
Single sided head ache
Stomach pain___________
White discharge_________
Piles________________ ___
Cold________________
Indigestion in children

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Report on Rapid Assessment of Local Health Traditions of Tamilnadu 1999-2000 FRLHT ] 5
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Area code

Number

AURO

1.

CCD

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ANSA

Dysentery

2

2/

3.

Fever

3

3/

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Comments on remedies by different system of practice
F___
S___
A
U
Allo
4/-A2/
4DD
3/
1/
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IX
!/★
1 DD
1 DD
2Z
2/
2Z
2Z
1/
2/ ★
!/★
2/
1 DD

3/

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Gas trouble

3

3Z

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Toothache

3

3/

6.

White discharge

3

3/

2/
1 DD
3/

2/
1 DD
2/
!/★
3/

1.

Head ache

3

3/

3/

3DD

2.
3.

Chest pain
Dysmenorrhoea

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2

1 DD
2DD

4.

Janni

5.
6.

2/
1DD

2/

3/

2/
!/★
2/
!/★
3/

!/★

3/
2/
1 DD
3/

•2/
1 DD
I/
1/
1 DD
1/
1 DD
1/
1/
1 DD
IX
1/
2/*

!/★

!/★

2

1/
!/★
2/

1/
!/★
2/

Jaundice
Eye pain

_l_
3

1/
3/

1/
3/

1/
3DD

1/
2X
I DD

7.

Burning sensation
of the e>e

3

3/

3/

3DD

3Z

8.

Menorrhagia

2

1//*

2/

9.

Tooth ache

4

4/

10.

Gas trouble

3

3/

3/
1 DD
3/

1/
1 DD
4DD

1/
1/*
2/
2DD
3/

2/
2DD
3/

11.

Scabies skin
condition
Common cold

3

3/

2

2.

Indigestion
in
children______
General itching

3.

4.

8

LC
4/

2.

1.

8

No.
of
remedies
4

Common
cold(Chali)

8

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Condition

2DD

3 DD

2/

!/★
2DD
2/

3/

3/

2/

2/
1 DD
2/

2/

2

2/

2/

2DD

2/

1/
1 DD
2DD

3

2/

!/★

2/
1/*

1 /
2DD

2/

2/

2/

1 /
I/*
1 DD
1 /

2

Jaundice

1 DD
I/
1 DD
2DD

!/★

5.

Migraine

2

2/

2/

2/*

6.

Piles

2

2/

2/

2/*

7.

Stomach ache

3

1/
2/A
2/
1/*
2/

8.

Vomiting

3

9.

White discharge

2

2/

1/

1£*

2/iV

2/

2/
1/*
2/

3/

1/
1 DD
1/
1 DD
1/
2/*
3/

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3DD - I
3DD

1/
2DD

IX
1 DD
1/
2X
I DD

2/1 DD

1/
1 DD
4DD
2/
1 DD

1/
2DD
2DD

2/
3DD

1/^r
I DD
2DD

1/

!/★
1/
1 DD
2DD

1 DD
2/tV
3DD
2DD

Z

- Effective remedy
- Should be used with modification specified by the group
K - Should not be advocated and are not effective
DD - Data deficient / not able to comment

8

Report on Rapid Assessment of Local Health Traditions ofTamilnadu 1999-2000 FRLHT J 6
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1 DD
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1/
2DD
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1 DD
3DD

91

**

I

LEARNINGS

!

•

Enhancing communities understanding about the health conditions: This process has helped
the community to get an exposure to different areas of knowledge related to causes and symptoms,
which leads to a better understanding of health especially in the areas of prevention apart from
finding out the effective remedies.

•

Understanding about the causes, symptoms of each condition at the household level were
incomplete and some times based on myths. For instance, community from Virudhunagar had an
understanding that leprosy was caused by a snakebite called koozhipampu. There was a difference
of opinion amongst households and folk healers. This exercise gave an opportunity for the local
community to seek clarity and correct understanding about the causes, symptoms, and transmission
of Leprosy with the help of folk healers, ISM and western medicine.

•

Comment on the efficacy of the formulae: In many of the instances. ISM physicians have made
comments on a combination based on the property of individual drugs. It may not be possible to
judge the efficacy of the formulation based on the individual ingredient, as there could be changes
when they are combined. The efficacy of a combination in such situations can be understood only
through a clinical study. This process will enhance giving more new combinations to the codified
systems, if tried seriously.

•

Advantage of a strong Local Expert Group: A strong local group of experts in terms of their
experience in health care and familiarity in vernacular language deserves a lot of importance. This
will enable fruitful interaction with the other medical expert groups from other systems

•

Criteria for selecting the experts: The good expert group is essential to give best results of the entire
exercise. So greater emphasis should be given while selecting them. Understanding based on the
current experience is that they should be selected based on

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1) Openness towards LHTs or such initiatives
2) Proficiency in vernacular language
or who has an experience in working in the same
3) Preferably a local person
area/community
4) Ready to spend enough time with the local community’ for the workshop
5) Technical Proficiency (Ability' to translate or explain the conditions or practices as per
his/her knowledge stream after enough interaction with the community)
6) Folk healers should be a locally accepted healers
7) Folk healer with more than 10 years of experience in the health care of the same area
will be ideal.

•

Advantage of local folk healers presence in the PRA exercise: In the pre workshop exercise, it is
preferred to discuss prioritised conditions in the presence of the local folk healers. This will help in
doing the literature survey for the RALHT program effectively.

•

Briefing to the participants: The briefing to the participants should be given one day prior to the
workshop because it will enable them to participate objectively.

•

Report preparation: 1 he report should be prepared in the field subsequent to the workshop. The
local terminologies and any other technical problems can be rectified immediately in the field. This
will also give a quick result. This also ensure the quick action program based on the results.

Report on Rapid Assessment of Local Health Traditions ofTamilnadu 1999-2000 FRLHT ] 7

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.

The remedies, which are assessed through the rapid method, are proposed to do rapid clinical trial
in the rural set up with the active involvement of the folk healers, communities and ISM
practitioner. The assessed remedies, which lack sufficient information regarding its properties or its
action or support from the ISM stream, will be subjected for clinical trials. The clinical data on all
effective remedies as will serve as supportive evidences for wider health care expert circle. This
also will be supporting evidences for ISM to give further conclusions in case of newer formulae.
These rapid clinical trials will be carried out in parallel to the ongoing promotion of best remedies
from RALHT workshops.
In the process followed, all household remedies practised told by the interviewee were documented.
Then prioritisation of the health conditions by communities in a specific area and rapid assessment
of available remedies from the documented data was followed. In this process, all the conditions
that are having home remedies irrespective of its effectiveness and remedies those are mixture of
effective and less effective from communities perceptions were also being considered. As the
objective is more focussing on the finding and promoting the best remedies for priority conditions,
the same process can be improved by focussing on finding out the most important health conditions
of the area before documenting the home remedies. In the documentation step, effective remedies
for the prioritised health condition as per the communities experience could be recorded. Finally
these remedies can be subjected for rapid assessment.

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CONCLUSIONS
This process of revitalising the local health traditions finds out the best community practices along with
adding to the incomplete and discouraging the distorted. Through these series of participatory exercises
50 effective remedies for 20 prioritised conditions were.identified.

There has been lots of learning during this process. A refined methodology incorporating these learning
would have much to offer in finding out and strengthening these traditions. As household traditions are
very vast and diverse, repeating this process in different geographical locations is a Herculean task. So
it would be ideal to replicate the process in more localised and decentralised manner. In this context,
capacity building to replicate the process should be done through trainings programs on this
methodology. This process, apart from home remedies, should also cover other aspects of these
traditions like food practices, seasonal regimens, mother and child health care, specialised practices of
healers etc.
It is also necessary to formulate strategies for wider promotion. Encouraging kitchen herbal garden
programs to promote effective practices is found to be one of the effective strategies. Apart from this
publications and effective communication through different medias also should be an integral part of
these promotional strategies.

These 'local knowledge and resource dependant' competitive practices definitely will contribute to
achieve health for all that demands 50% of coverage rate of health care financed by community and
collective systems1. Today there is a complete political negligence, and discouraging social attitudes
towards LHTs. This fact is reflected in the present day health education/research/promotion programs.
The promotional strategies that would incorporate all these aspects arc an urgent need of revitalisation
of the best traditions.

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Report on Rapid Assessment ofLocal Health Traditions ofTamilnadu 1999-2000 FRLHT 19

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BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Classical literatures

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1. Ahstanga Hrudaya: Edited by Sri Kanta murthy, 1997 Choukamba Bharahti Academy
2. Bhavapakasha Nigantu
1Edited by Dr.G.S.Pandey, 1986 Choukamba Bharahti
Academy
3. Charaka samhitha: Edited by P.V.Sharma , 1996 Choukamba Bharahti Academy
4. Susrutha samhitha: edited by Vaidya Jadavji trikramji,1992. Choukamba Bharahti
Academy

Contemporary literature

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1.

Dravyaguna vijnana Vol 1-5
P.V.Sharma 1994 Choukamba Bharahti Academy
(This work based on classical literature of Ayurvedic pharmacology)
2. Padarthaguna chinthamani
3. State of India’s Health: Voluntary health association of India - 1992

Databases

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Napralert
Medline
FRLHT databases on plant bibliography
FRLHT databases on Clinically important plants

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Report on Rapid Assessment ofLocal Health Traditions ofTamilnadu 1999-2000 FRLHT 20
Mia

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Authors
Ref: no.
Annonymous
7022

I
■

Year
1976

Books
Medicinal plants of India. Vol-1
Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi.

7027

Sivarajan.V.V. & Indira Balachandran

1994

Ayur vedic drugs & their plants sources
Oxford & I.B.H.Publishing Co.Pvt.Ltd. New Delhi

7033

Ram P.Rastogi and B.N.Mehrotra

1993

Compendium on Indian Medicinal Plants , Vol-1
Central Drug Research Institute ,

1

Lucknow & Publication and Information Directorate ,C.S. I. R . .Nev/ Delhi
i

7034

1993

Ram P.Rastogi and B.N.Mehrotra

Compendium on Indian Medicinal Plants , Vol-2
Central Drug Research Institute ,

Lucknow & Publication and Information Directorate .C.S. I. R . .New Delhi
7035

1993

Ram P.Rastogi and B.N.Mehrotra

Compendium on Indian Medicinal Plants , Vol-3
Central Drug Research Institute ,

Lucknow & Publication and Information Directorate ,C.S. I. R . .New Delhi

7036

1995

Ram P.Rastogi and B.N.Mehrotra

Compendium on Indian Medicinal Plants , Vol-4
Central Drug Research Institute .

Lucknow & Publication and Information Directorate .C.S. I. R . .New Delhi
7037

Anonymous

1992

The useful plants of India
Publication and Information Directorate ,C.S. L>R . .New Delhi

7041

Thakur. R.S..Puri,H.D-.& Akhtar Hussain

1989

Major Medicinal Plants of India
Central Instute Of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow

7042

Asolkar.L.V.,Kakkar,K.K.& Chakre.O.J.

1992

Second Supplement to Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants with Active
Principles,
Part-I, Publication and Information Directorate ,C.S. I. R . .New Delhi

7046

R.N.Chopra.Nayar.S.L. & Chopra, I.C.

1956

Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants
Publication and Information Directorate .C.S. I. R . .New Delhi

7047

R.N.Chopra.Nayar.S.L. & Chopra, I.C.

1969

Supplement to Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants
Publication and Information Directorate ,C.S. I. R . .New Delhi

7070

Lionel Robineau (ED)

1991

Towards a Caribbean Pharmacopoeia, TRAMAIL. 4- Workshop
National Autonomous Univerisity of Honduras, Santo Domingo

7071

Ivan A. Ross

1999

Medicinal Plants of the World
Humana Press, Totowa, New Jersy

7073

World Health Organisation

1998

Medicinal Plants in the South Pacific Regional WHO Publication Western
Pacific
Series No. 19 WHO Manila

7074

World Health Organisation

1999

WHO Monograph on Selected Medicinal Plants, Vol-1
WHO Geneva

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Appendices
a. Sample data of RALHT results

1-6

b. Reference data from Ayurveda, Siddha,
Unani & pharmacology

7-14

c. Format used to record the group discussion
in RALHT

15-18

d. About the Field collaborators

19-23

Participatory rapid assessment of local health traditions
S no 1
Area: CCD, Virudhunagar District
State:

Tamilnadu

Details of the health condition:
- Perumpaadu

Local name of the condition

V)
(U
cn

ro
Q

cn

E
o

E

§

Community's
description

Folk
practitioner

Ayurveda

Siddha

Unani

Allopathy

Irregular menstrual
cycle, due to
malnutrition

Irregular
menstrual cycle

Data deficient

Very common in anaemic patients,
general weakness and weakness
due to uterus infection or
inflammation of the uterus
(varm-e-roham).

Hormone deficiency, irregular
menstrual cycle

Irregular menstrual
cycle with excessive
bleeding associated
with white discharge

Irregular
menstrual cycle
with excessive
bleeding
associated with
white discharge

Data deficient

Irregular menstrual
cycle, during
menopause, periods,
psychiatric problems like
very late marriage and
sterility ___________
Irregular menstrual cycle
with excessive bleeding
associated with white
discharge, fall in blood
pressure, thirst

Irregular menstrual cycle with
excessive bleeding associated with
white discharge and also pain in
lower abdomen region

Irregular menstrual cycle with
excessive bleeding associated
with white discharge

Perumpaadu

Data deficient

i Perumpaadu

Kasar-u-tams

Menorrhagia

Perumpaadu

•55
22
o
o

Q

/

/A

1

Remedy No:1

S
n
o
1

Local name

Botanical name

Siddha

Ayurveda

Unani

Part used

Proportion
used

Thennampalai

Cocos nucrfera

Thennampalai

Narikela

Flower bud

2_
3

Jeeraham
Vengkayam

Cuminum cyminum
Allium cepa

Jeeraham
Vengkayam

Jeeraka
Palandu

Na riyal ka
phool
Zeera
Pyaaz

1/3 of 1 flower
bud________
1 tea spoon
3

Preparation and dosage:

Remark:
Advise on food and regimen:

Seeds
Bulb

One flower bud is divided into 3 parts. Crush Jeeraham and Vengkayam. Strain the juice and give three times (Morning,
night and next day morning) (Above quantity is for a single dose).
s
If thennampalai is not available vazhai poo (Banana flowers) can be used in same manner.
Avoid mochai, thatta payiru, sweets, salted and dried fish.

Comments on remedy:

Community:

It is a very effective remedy.

Folk:

According to folk experts, this remedy is found effective within 3 - 5 days. It is affordable and easily available. These
remedies are effective with no side effects.

Siddha:
Ayurveda:

Unani:

Allopathy:

It is an effective remedy. Avoid consumption of spicy food. Avoid tedious household work.
Data deficient

i

This remedy is a good treatment for irregular menstrual cycle with excessive bleeding and with white discharge. This is
also associated with pain in the back of lower abdomen.
.
The flower bud of coconut is a very good uterine tonic. Zeera (Cumin) and pyaaz (Onion) are antispasmodic and
analgesic in action. Above treatment is effective within 3 - 5 days. Dry fish and sugar should be avoided.
It is known as a good remedy.

!■

2

i

Participatory rapid assessment of local health traditions
S no 1
Area: 01ANSA, Pullampadi Alathur block, Viduthalaipuram, :
Tiruchirapally District, Tamil nadu
Date: 16.12.99

Details of the health problem/condition:
Local name of the condition:
Chali (Cold)
a

</)<u
ro
Q

E
o

Community's
description

Folk practitioner

Ayurveda

Siddha

Unani

Western Medicine

Exposure to allergic
substances, exposure to
cold air and taking bath
in cold climate

Allergy, getting
drenched in rain
and
drinking impure
water

Lack of immunity,
excessive intake of
cold food stuffs and
consumption of
impure water

Getting drenched in rain

Exposure to rain and
cold air and
taking cold water bath in
cold climate

Water bome, allergy, spreads
through germs, lack of immunity,
asthma and tuberculosis

Sneezing, cough, sore
throat and heaviness of
head

Sneezing,
sore throat,
cough, blocked
nose, feeling of
heaviness of the
head and watering
eyes in the eye.

Sneezing, head
ache,
tastelessness,
lack of appetite and
fever

Sneezing and fever

Sneezing, running nose,
head ache and
fever

Sneezing, sore throat, running
nose, cough, head ache, difficulty
in breathing, chest pain and fever

Chali

Chali

Pratishyaya

Chali

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Cold

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Remedy No: 1
Local name of
S no
Ingredient
Sukku______
1
Sitharathai
2.
Malli_______
3_
Milagu______
4_
Panai vellam
5

Botanical name

Siddha name

Zingiber officinale
Alpinia galanga
Coriandrum sativum
Piper nigrum_____
Borassus flabellifer

Sukku_____
Sitharathai
Malli______
Milagu_____
Panai vellam

Unani
Name____
Zanjabeel
Qolanjan
Dhaniya
Fil-fil-e-siah
Taadh

Ayurveda name

Part used

Proportion used

Sunthi
Rasna
Dhanyaka
Marica
Tala

Rhizome
Rhizome
Seed_______
Seeds______
Palm jaggerry

1 9____
3 g____
Wg
3 seeds
50 g

Preparation and dosage:

Wash and crush all the ingredients except vellam (jaggery). Boil the ingredients in 3 glasses of water and reduce to 1
glass. 1 glass is taken in the morning for 3 days. Children’s dose is 1 sangu

Advises on food and regimen:

Avoid consumption of curd, buttermilk and cooked rice (kept in water overnight); and avoid taking bath in cold water.
Nursing mother should avoid cold foodstuffs and cooked rice (kept in water overnight)

Comments on rermedy:
Community:

This is a effective remedy for the cold

Folk :

This is a effective remedy for the cold

Siddha:

This is a effective remedy.

Ayurveda:

This is an effective remedy for the cold
Sunthi helps in cold by its katu rasa, tikshna guna, ushna veerya. It is kapha vatahara. In acute stages, Sunthi can be
used along with milk or ikshu vikara.
Dhanyaka (Malli) is used in children for cough & cold. Dhanyaka along with sharkara and tandulodaka is used in cold.
Marica (Milagu) being kapha vatahara is used extensively in common cold.

Unani:

This is a good remedy for cold

Allopathy:

Data deficient

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Participatory rapid assessment of local health traditions

Place: Pitchandikulam Bio Resource Cente
Auroville, Podicherry, Tamilnadu

Date: 28.03.’00

Details of the health condition:
Health problem/condition - Dysentery (Seetha bedi/Vaitru pokku)

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Community_____
Consuming half
boiled rice, excess
intake of brinjal dry
fish curry, hard to
digest food, spicy
food (those induce
dysentery) and not
taking oil bath.

Folk_________
Drinking
contaminated
water, not taking
oil bath, eating
stale foods, and
excessive spicy,
astringent and
salty foodstuff.

Ayurveda_______
Disease resembles
Pitthathisaram
(Loosemotion due
to pitta) mainly due
to unwholesome
food habits.

Siddha__________
Consuming brinjal,
half boiled rice, dried
fish curry, spicy and
hot foods

Unani_______________
Consuming heat inducing
foods, hard to digest food,
dried fish items and
drinking contaminated
water

Allopathy______________
The cause for loose motion is
upper GIT motility. It can be due
to physiological and pathological
causes.

Stomach pain, hip
pain, and passing of
stools with mucus or
blood.

Stool with blood,
loose motion with
stomach pain,
pain in anal
region, tiredness

Loose motion with
blood and mucous

Stomach pain, hip
pain, motion with
mucous, bloody
motion, tiredness,
anal irritation

Stomach pain, loose
motion with blood and
mucous, tiredness,
frequent motion, anal
irritation

Stomach pain, irritation, loose
motion associated with mucous,
later with blood

Vaiyirtu
pokku/Seetha bedi

Vaiyirtu pokku /
Seetha bedi

Athisara

Seetha bedi

Is-hal

Loose motion

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Remedy No: 1
Local name
No
Mathulam
1
pinju

Ayurveda
Dadima

Siddha
Mathulai

Unani
Anar

Scientific name
Punica granatum

Part used
Tender
fruit

Proportion used
One fruit

Preparation and dose:

Ingredient is taken in required quantity, washed, crushed and taken three times a day for three days.

Advises on food and regimen:

To avoid spicy foods. Only curd rice and tender coconut juice is advised as food

Comments on the remedy
Community:
Folk healers:

Ayurveda:

It is a good remedy.
It is a good remedy. It should be taken in empty stomach

This drug has an action against loose motion (Athisara). This preparation is advised in Ayurveda and should be given in the morning

Siddha:

It is a good remedy. All thuvarpu (Astringent) taste materials have property to act against loose motion.

Unani:

It is being used in Unani system of medicine.
Alternative: Powdered dry rind or flowers of pomegranate can also be given.

Allopathy:

Data deficient

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Ayurvedic plant reference

PLANT
Botanical name:

Palaandu
Allium cepa

Dos ha ha r

na-athi-pitthalaa
kapha-krutha
kevalama-vaathalama

Guna
Karma
Paryaya

guru
valabeeryakaro
sukha-dooshaka
yavanesta
durgandho

Rasa
Veerya
Vipaaka
Vyadhi

svaadu
ushna
svaadu
rasona-sadrusa

PLANT
Daanyakam
Botanical name:
Corriandrum sativum
Doshahar tridoshanut
pittha-naasanam

Guna

snigdham
laghu

Karma

jvaraghnam
mootralam
paachanam
rochakam
graahi
avrushyam
deepanam

Paryaya

kusthumbaru
chatraa
dhenukaa
kunatee
dhaaneyakam
dhaanaa
dhaanakam. dhaanyam
vithunnakam

Rasa

thiktham
katu
svaadu
thuvaram

Veerya
Vipaaka
Vyadhi

ushnam
svaadu
kaasa
kaasya
svaasa
thrushna daaha vami
krimi

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4. INCOMPLETE ELEMENTS IN THE PRACTICE & ADDING TO THE PRACTICE
FOLK EXPERT

AYURVEDA

SIDHA

UNANI

C No:-—F

MOD. MED

Ingredients

Dose

Proportion

Purification

Preparation
(Method, time
to cook etc)

Pathya

Any other
remarks on the
condition it is
used

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About the Field Collaborators

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All the 13 field collaborators are non-governmental agencies. These 13 agencies are from
Karnataka, Kerala, Maharastra and Tamilnadu.

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Academy of Development Science(ADS)
This was established as an autonomous institution in 1980. This is a people oriented science and
technology organization, with primary concern with the problems faced by village communities, i
particularly the tribal, and the landless, small, and marginal farmers. Major thrust areas are
traditional medicine and primary health care, conservation of genetic resources, village j
technologies for employment and self-reliance, watershed development and sustainable
agriculture, and innovations in school education, local leadership and community based
organizations.
The ongoing programs like training programs are conducted for midwives, Vaduz and tribal youth
interested in learning herbal medicine; village level aushadhikaran camps are organized to train
women in simple processing techniques of medicinal plants for the treatment of common seasonal j
ailments. It also organizes exposure camps in traditional medicine and primary health care for j
people all over the country.
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ANSA was established in 1980. It primary concern is on "the role of women in rural i
development". It is creating awareness and promotion of alternative health care based on herbal j
medicine, campaigning against deforestation caused by mining of gypsum, lime stone, bauxite in
Tiruchirapally and Salem district, bio diversity conservation programs, training, preparation of
herbal medicine etc. It has also launched Self Help Green Health Care campaign through NGO
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network in Trichy district. It is also promoting LHTs through Kitchen Herbal Garden.
Anthyodhaya Sangh (ANSA), P B No 216, 7-A, Woraiyur, Mission Hospital Road, Tiruchirapalli
620 003, TAMIL NADU, Phone: 0431-760443, Fax: 0431-760063, EMAIL:

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Auroville-Pichandikulam Forest:
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Pitchandikulam forest regeneration begin in 1973 by Joss Brooks. The relation ship with FRLHT
started from the year 1993. The entire area is considered to be ETHNOMEDICIAL FOREST, with I
515 indigenous medicinal plants out of with 4 0 are being used in the bioregion. The forest is about I
50acres. . The main focus is to involve local community in the Eco restoration programs, I
community health, medicinal plant conservation and Local health traditions. The main activities j
are to identify remnant forest patches of tropical dry evergreen forest, sacred groves and individual
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heritage trees and propagation. The other activities are seed germination, propagation of the plants
in the bio region, planting of medicinal plant seedlings in village medicinal plant gardens, in I
schools and where possible in the sacred groves and remnant forest the other activities are training I
program in protection, propagation
’ andI use of medicinal plans, encourage the folk healers to give I
training, documentation of local healers in 30 villages, teaching and awareness programs about the j
ecology and medicinal plants in an area is conducted for the primary and high school, to establish
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herbal gardens in five of these schools, community health.
Further Contact:
*Pitchandikulam Forest , P O Auroville 605 101,TAMIL NADU , Phone: 0413-622365 Fax- I
0413-622274
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Anthyodhaya Sangh (ansa)

Report on Rapid Assessment ofLocal Health Traditions of Tamilnadu 1999-2000 FRI.HT (g

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BIRD-K, Tiptur
Bharatiya Agro Industries Foundation Institute for Rural Development was born in 1967, to take
the message of rural re-construction across the country. This organization is involved in
implementation of various rural development projects of several states including Karnataka,
Andrapradesh, Uttar pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya pradesh, Gujarat. This is operating in 15000
villages in India.
BAIF Institute for Rural Development -Karnataka (BIRD-K) was established to manage
programmes in Karnataka and Andrapradesh. Head quarter is situated at Tiptur in Tumkur district
of Karnataka. BIRD-k program spreads over 19 district of Karnataka and 4 district of A.P. It is
currently active in the field of live stock development, watershed development, tree based farming,
tribal rehabilitation, sustainable agriculture, human health and herbal medicine, local health
traditions, promotion of people’s organizations for sustainable transformations of rural areas,
applied research and training for rural development, community health and sanitation, promotion
of micro-enterprises in rural areas to bring in self-reliance and sufficiency in local economy. It has
also gained experience in use and conservation of medicinal plants due to collaboration with
FRLHT. It also provides training in promotion of kitchen herbal gardens, use of medicinal herbs,
conservation of medicinal plants. It is also conserving medicinal through Ex-situ conservation.
Further Contact:
BIRD, BAIF INSTITUTE FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT -KARNATAKA, "KAMADHENU"
P.B. NO.3, SHARADANAGAR, TIPTUR, 572202, TUMKUR DISTRICT, KARNATAKA
STATE, TELEPHONE: 08134 50659, FAX: 08134 51337, EMAIL: baif@bgl.vsnl.net.in

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BIRDS-Belgaum Integrated Rural Development Society

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This voluntary organization was established on August 15th 1980 with a mission "Rural
development is India's Development". It is presently operating in 2 states namely Karnataka and
Maharastra. The present programs are at 2 kinds to achieve the goal. Namely Institutional
programs like creche, rural residential school, integrated education program for disabled, Bachelor
of Social Work College, special school for deaf, agriculture extension program, medicinal plant
conservation program. Secondly non institutional programs are dairy development program,
literacy program, AIDS awareness and prevention program, vocational training for women, gender
issues, women and nutrition, mother and child care and others like self help group promotion
activities on micro-credit, water management, local youth clubs, sex workers association
Further Contact:
Belgaum Integrated Rural Development Society (BIRDS), Naganur (R), Gokak Tq 591319
Belgaum dist, KARNATAKA, Phone: 08332-84678/79, 84660, Fax:08332-26436

Center for Indian Medical Heritage (CIMH)
CIMH was established in 1996 with a purpose for furthering research and educational activities in
the field of Traditional Health Systems of India. The primary focuses are to undertake survey,
documentation and evaluation of the state of art Indian Medical Heritages;; prepare education
material for village communities, school children, medicinal professionals and others;
establishment of regional training centre on Traditional Medicine and primary Health Care; to
create computerised data base on various aspects of indigenous health medical knowledge system;
promotion of the activities relating to conservation of Natural Resource Base; Training on
Medicinal Plants, Medicine preparation etc. to the interested at intervals, awareness

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Tire ongoing programs are training and awareness program on medicinal plants, identification of j
common medicinal plants & their uses, growing kitchen herbal gardens, home remedies for house I
wives and other interested, medicinal plants cultivation & nursery techniques, medicine

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Report on Rapid Assessment of Local Health Traditions ofTamilnadu 1999-2000 FRLHT

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Shantimalai Research and Development trust:
The main focus of the organisation are to have self help in health, education, industry and
economic development; development of 40 participatory villages, self help groups, farmers club, i
youth club etc; conservation of water sources and utilisation; indigenous method of holistic health.
Programs undertaken so far are out patient service and mobile clinic through various systems of |
medicines, school education from 1st to 12th standard, in formal education and adult literacy
program in villages, women development programs including income generation programs through
SHG, training 's for the villagers, literacy programs, training for the village women in various
enterprises, village sub centres etc, training youth in various enterprises, dairy and agricultural i
farming, establishing medicinal plant conservation park program, children vocational scheme.
Further Contact:
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Shanthimalai Trust (SMT), P B No 7, Shiva Nagar, Sri Ramanashramam P O, Tiruvannamalai 606
603, TAMIL NADU
Taralabalu Rural Development Foundation.
This organisation came to genesis on 16th December 1982. The primary focus of the organisation
are rural Development, agriculture, horticulture, social forestry, dairy, health care-anganawadi j
training centre, rural science centre, Nirmala Karnataka project on lighting, family welfare j
programme. Training of voluntary agencies and women organisations, medicinal plant
conservation.
Further Contact:
Sri Taralabalu Rural Development Foundation (TRDF), Sirigere 577 541, Chitradurga Tq & Dist,
KARNATAKA, Phone: 08194-58829, 58853 Fax: 08194-58847

Rural Education and Development Service (READS)
This organisation was established on 21st September 1986. The primary focuses are to develop
leadership with in the community to create awareness and organise the poor to fight for their rights
in society, form sanghas to plan and execute developmental activities in a sustainable way,
minimise unemployment and under-employment through income generating activities in
agriculture and allied areas, to identify local health problems, particularly of women and j
strengthen the traditional ways of healing through promotion of herbal gardens, to promote and j
strengthen savings and credit for self sufficiency in meeting their financial needs and enable
beneficiaries to avail programmes opportunities provided by government and credit institutions.
The programs undertaken so far are in the field of community organisation, empowerment of i
women, health, agriculture program, community irrigation and water sheds, afforestation and i
formation of women's savings and credit groups, nursery outreach, ex-situ conservation of I
medicinal plants and income generation.
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Further Contact;
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Rural Education and Development Service (READS), No 32-A Denkanikottai road, P. O.
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Balathotanapalli 635107, TAMIL NADU, Phone: 04344-76160, fax:04344-76347
People's Agricultural Farm
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People's agricultural farm was established on 24th February 1981. The primary focus was to j
promote co-operative farming. But from 1989, PAF focused on watershed program and herb based |
. . health program. Under watershed program, it gave importance
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community
for biodiversity
progam. In herb based community health program, focus is on local health traditions; the main
intention is to make the community self reliant in the health need. Health related, organic i
agriculture and water shed management trainings are conducted.
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PAF started its collaboration with I
FRLHT in 1996 to conserve medicinal plants through ex-situ conservation.
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Further Contact:
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Report on Rapid Assessment of Local Health Traditions ofTamilnadu 1999-2000 FRLHT

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People's Agricultural Farm (PAF), No 34, S S Nagar, Near NGGO Colony, Pudukkottai 622 001,
TAMILNADU, Phone:04322-20613, Fax:

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Report on Rapid Assessment ofLocal Health Traditions ofTamilnadu 1999-2000 FRLHT

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Media
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