Joette Calabrese, the US-based homoeopath, says she feels out of place practicing homoepathy in a country where alternative medicine is practically non-existent. But she enjoys the challenge. In Kolkata to attend an exhibition, Calabrese said India could lead a revival of homoepathy and alternative medicine.

The Prasanta Banerji Homoeopathic Research Foundation inaugurated a photo exhibition on Thursday to mark 150 years of homoeopathy. Apart from Calabrese, it was attended by governor Keshari Nath Tripathi.

Calabrese believes she has been able to convince many of the benefits of staying away from chemical drugs, not only in USA, but the world over.

"My mission is to convert mothers and grandmothers for they need to realize the benefits of homoeopathy. So I teach online, write blogs and prescriptions for patients from all parts of the world. The idea is to join arms to protect our children from the harmful chemical drugs that are being pushed into our systems by the burgeoning pharmaceutical industry," Calabrese said, adding that she follows the Banerji protocol devised by city-based homoeopath Prasanta Banerji.

A resident of Buffalo, New York, Calabrese chanced upon the Banerji protocol 20 years ago when Prasanta was attending a conference in USA. "Two years later, I had a chance to meet Banerji and his son Pratip. Their work was simply amazing and the protocol was fascinating. They have simplified medication based on data they have collated over the last 100 years. They have proved that homoeopathy can be safe, inexpensive and effective," she said.

Even though homoeopathy has little support or patronage in USA, homoeopathic medicines are now widely available. "You can buy them from grocery stores or supermarkets. It had died in the late-1940s, thanks to the pharma industry. It was a market issue. Conventional medicine-makers didnt want any competition. But homoeopathy deserves to survive because it is natural and affordable. It doesnt have the harmful side-effects that allopathic drugs subjects patients to," Calabrese added. A small but significant percentage used it in the USA, she said. "We might not see a dramatic rise in use, but slow conversion is what we are aiming at."

She receives queries from all over the world, including South America, Korea, Ukraine, Cuba and even India. "The largest number of responses to my blogs come from Australia and New Zealand, though. Interest in homoeopathy has been rising and it is surely the fastest growing alternative medicine in the world. I guess we have reached the tipping-over point, despite the huge obstacle posed by the pharma companies. India, I guess, could show the way. Kolkata, in particular, has a rich history of homoeopathic medicine and it has been traditionally practised here. The city could be the perfect launch-pad for a resurgence of homoeopathy," the online homoeopath felt.

With a view to enhance research and promote awareness about the efficacy of homoeopathy medications and treatment system, the Global Homoeopathy Foundation (GHF) is organising a national homoeopathy convention on September 13 in Kozhikodu in Kerala.

The convention will have five moderated sessions and a panel discussion on various subjects in homoeopathy system. Eminent research scholars and practitioners from various parts of the country will share the dais in the discussions.

The convention will be inaugurated by Kerala urban development minister Manjalamkuzhi Ali. Dr B. M. Hegde, medical scientist and former vice-chancellor of Manipal university will deliver the keynote address, said Dr Sreevals Menon, managing trustee and Dr. Esmail Sait, vice chairman of GHF.

According to them, Kozhikodu convention is the first of a series of conventions and conferences planned to organise in different parts of the country prior to the World Homoeopathy Congress slated for the second half of next year in New Delhi.

They said there are a lot of misunderstandings about homoeopathy system, and its contributions are not properly recognised. The national convention is aimed to shed light on the past and the ongoing researches in the field.

Medical scientists from various streams including Dr Khuda Buksh from Kolkata, Dr Prathama Mainkar from IICT-CSIR Hyderabad, Dr Upma Bagai from Chandigarh and many more will present research papers in the sessions. The organisers said the NHC is the first of its kind event in the history of homoeopathy in Kerala which will encourage the young scientists and professionals to explore the scientific basis of homoeopathy for its further growth.

The event will also showcase the latest multi-domain research in homoeopathy in the recent years in relation to the pure and applied science streams and to extend the same to the doctors, researchers, scientists, the media and public in general.

Union minister of health and family welfare J P Nadda has called the allopathic doctors community to be more open to other forms of medication like ayurveda and homoeopathy.

Nadda was speaking at a symposium organised by the Vaidyakeeya Vikas Manch in the city on Monday.

"We have to be broad-minded. The allopathic community needs to be accommodating so that other systems (of medicine) can be included," said Nadda at the symposium titled Vision Arogyam 2020, which aims to prepare a roadmap for the next five years to develop medical education and healthcare system in the country.

Minister of state (health) Ram Shinde, city MP Anil Shirole, executive committee member of Dental Council of India Rahul Hegde, vice-chancellor of the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) Arun Jamkar were among others present at the one-day symposium.

Colicky babies seem to be inconsolable…but homeopathy can help says Dr Dinesh Samuel.

Infantile colic is a common problem in babies, especially up to around sixteen weeks of age. It is characterised by incessant crying, often inconsolable, usually in the evenings and often through the night. Having excluded underlying pathology, the standard advice given by GPs and health visitors is winding technique or Gripe Water. These measures are often ineffective but for­tunately there are a number of homeo­pathic medicines that are effective.

In my experience Colocynth is the most successful; alternatives are Carbo Veg, Lycopodium, Chamomilla and Nux vomica.

Homoeopathy is a dynamic, holistic, scientific and philosophical system of constitutional medicine & individualistic drug therapeutics, based on the law of similars, with the potentiality of cure in cases that are curable and relieves symptoms in incurable cases.