- Unani industry leaders call for research strength and global reach
- UDMA Day highlights innovation, safety focus and Hyderabad role
Hyderabad: Unani medicine received strong support at the 8th UDMA Day celebrations held in Hyderabad, where leading figures from the sector pressed for modern research, safety standards and wider global outreach. The event also featured a large Unani Health Mela that brought together manufacturers from across India, showcasing new products and emerging innovations.
Dr. Hamed Ahmed, President of the Unani Drugs Manufacturers Association and CEO of Hamdard Laboratories, delivered the keynote address. He said the industry now stands at a crucial point where traditional heritage must meet present day expectations. He referred to the recent acceptance of the proposal allowing BUMS graduates to be considered for Food Inspector posts, which was later notified in the official Gazette. He also pointed to the association’s detailed submission to the Ministry of AYUSH on updated GMP guidelines and its meeting with the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine to explore clinical trials and long term collaborations.
He added that several training and regulatory sessions at the Centre of Excellence at Jamia Hamdard showed the sector’s growing commitment to transparency. Meanwhile, the exhibition held alongside the celebrations displayed new formulations and innovations that reflected the industry’s preparedness for modern demands.
Organising Chairman Hakeem Ghulam Mohiuddin said Hyderabad remained the epicentre of Unani medicine and added that between 600 and 700 Unani registered companies operate in the city. He said this base made Hyderabad one of the most active centres for Unani manufacturing in the country. He explained that UDMA Day aimed to bring local and national manufacturers together. He also drew an analogy, saying the use of allopathic medicine by Unani practitioners should be like adding “achar or namak” to food, only when necessary.
Dr. M. A. Waheed said Unani medicine had strong potential for new drug development. He noted that immunomodulators, widely used today, were prescribed in Unani thousands of years ago. Referring to COVID19, he said “several Unani formulations played an important role as part of the AYUSH ministry’s national health response”.
Adding to this, Zulfikhar Ali said Unani medicine is practised in nearly 85 countries and its principles remain consistent across regions. He said manufacturers helped the system survive due to their adherence to classical values. However, he noted that limited resources restricted wider research.
Dr. Mohammed Khalid said “that in the 16th century, Unani hakeems serving in royal courts received annual rewards equivalent to over 200 kg of gold, nearly ₹80 crore today”. He added that Hyderabad had long been renowned for excellence, drawing scholars from abroad. Convener Dr. Nabeel Anwar, regional secretaries and UMA office bearers were also present.
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