National Institute of Unani Medicine (NIUM), Bangalore

Unani Medicine has a long and impressive record in India. It has not only catered to the medical needs of millions of people, but also gained prominent place amongst the various systems of Medicine practiced in India and elsewhere. To promote this system at large, National Institute of Unani Medicine (NIUM) was established in 1984 as an autonomous organization under the Department of AYUSH, Ministry of Health & Family welfare and registered under the Karnataka Societies Act, 1960. However, academic activities were started in the year 2004 after the admission of the first batch of students. This institute is being developed as a model of post graduate, teaching, training and research in Unani Medicine. This institute is spread over 55 acres of land. The campus now houses an Administrative Block, Academic Block, Hospital Building, Hostel, Pharmacy, Library, Herbal garden, Indoor games hall, Guest house, Animal House, and several other units. From a humble beginning, NIUM has come a long way and developed as an apex Institute of National and International standards with the following aims and objective including (1) To promote growth and development of Unani Medicine. (2) To undertake research in various subjects of Unani Medicine and provide training in teaching and research at P.G. level. (3) To produce post graduates in all the subjects of Unani Medicine. (4). to conduct experiments and develop patterns of teaching post-graduate education in all subjects of Unani medicine. (5) To provide medical care through Unani System of Medicine to the suffering humanity.

The management of the institute is entrusted to the Governing Body consisting of 15 official and non official members with Honorable Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India and Minister of Medical Education, Govt. of Karnataka as president and Vice president, respectively. Prof. M.A. Jafri is Director of the Institute and member secretary of Governing body. The Standing Finance Committee looks after the Financial Matter. Joint Secretary, AYUSH is its chairman.

The institute is provided with splendid infrastructure. The hospital has an OPD wing and 100/150 bedded IPD with separate male and female wards. There is a general daily OPD and specialized OPDs focusing mainly on skin diseases, arthritis, obesity, diabetes, psychiatry and sexual disorders .The hospital also provides the facilities of family planning, nutritional advice for diabetic patients, vaccination, and DOTS. Regimenal therapy center of the hospital is a source of attraction for patients coming from various parts of Karnataka and nearby states. This center consists of various modalities of no drug /least drug therapy mainly Massage, Cupping, Leeching and other modalities as classical methods of treatment available in Unani Medicine for treatment of intractable ailments. Owing to continuously increasing number of neurologic patients, a separate neurology unit has been earmarked exclusively for the patients suffering from non-compliant diseases. This unit along with Regimenal therapy center provides best available treatment to the disabled patients who stray around in the hope that eventually they will be treated. The clinical departments organize free health camps, pulse polio programs, CME programs and participate in Arogya mela. Well equipped laboratories are also operational in the hospital. There are separate pathology lab, Biochemistry lab, ECG lab, X-ray unit, and Ultrasonography unit.

The institute has established a central instrumentation facility (CIF). It houses all necessary equipments and basic infra structured required to carry out quality research in the field of Unani medicine. The various instruments include atomic absorption spectrometer, HPLC, spectrophotometer, micro digestion system, rotary operator etc., a part from the CIF there are Pharmacognosy and drug standardization laboratories equipped with sophisticated equipments. Pharmacology lab is also in work. A separate neuro pharmacology lab has been established equipped with Rota rod, Passive avoidance Taste etc., the institute has established a estate of art animal house facility strictly following the guide line given by CPCSEA where all necessary arrangement have been made of housing and experimentation of deferent animal species. This is centrally air conditioner animal house.

Department of Ilmus Saidla has been started from the session 2009-10 this dept. is facilitated with good laboratories equipped with Lyophilizer, Dissolution apparatus, and Tablet disintegration apparatus, Granulator, Shaker Colorimeter, Humidifier, and De-Humidifier along with other classical equipments. An herbal garden having 150 species of medicinal plants has been established in the institute supported by national medicinal plant board, govt. of India. There is a separate pharmacy unit engaged in processing and preparing several formulations in different forms to cater to the needs of hospital patients. The pharmacy is well equipped with all necessary machines.

A tissue Culture Laboratory is under progress for promoting culture of valuable and endangered species of medicinal plants and animal tissue for various in vitro pharmacological studies.

The institute has big library having Internet facility, E-Resources, E-Journals, E-book and is extant with more than 8,500 books, photocopies of rear classical books and manuscripts an also available in the library. The first phase of digitization has been completed.

The institute offers post graduate courses in the fallowing subjects, Moalejat (Medicine), Ilmul Advia (Pharmacology), Tahaffuzi wa samaji Tib (Preventive and social medicine), Amraze Niswan wa Qabalat (OBG), Ilmus Saidla (Unani Pharmacy).

The institute has been able to attract the student from all most all parts of the country and from abroad also. It follows the curriculum prescribed by the central council of Indian medicine (CCIM). For admission in MD Unani course, the affiliating the university, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health science, Karnataka conducts the admission test based on the BUMS Syllabus usually in the month of October, every year. The selection is made purely on the basis of the merit list of the entrance test keeping in view the reservation policies of the Govt. of India