Tag: therapy

DCW seeks action against illegal conversion therapy for LGBTQI+ community

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New Delhi: Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Saturday issued a notice to National Medical Commission to seek action against illegal conversion therapy training for the LGBTQI+ community being advertised under the banner of the World Congress of Psychologists’.
The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) said it has taken suo moto cognizance of an advertisement circulating on social media that claims that an organisation called the ‘World Congress of Psychologists’ with its Head Office at Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh is conducting a three-month training program on Psychosomatic Disorders, starting March 10.
The organisation appears to have offered training on tackling 47 different disorders, and has included homosexuality, lesbianism, and transvestism in the same, it noted. It is an established fact that homosexuality, lesbianism, and transvestism are not ‘psychosomatic disorders, the panel said.
Over 50 years ago, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) issued a resolution stating that homosexuality is not a mental illness or sickness. Conversion therapies are a set of pseudo-scientific practices, targeting the LGBTIQA+ (An acronym that stands for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual people) to change their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.
The panel cited the 2021 judgment passed by the Madras High Court which said any attempts to medically “cure” or change the sexual orientation of LGBTIQA+ people to heterosexual or the gender identity of transgender people to cisgender is prohibited.
The court has also directed the National Medical Commission, Indian Psychiatric Society, and The Rehabilitation Council of India to take action against the concerned professional involving themselves in any form or method of conversion “therapy” including withdrawal of license to practice, it said.
Following the order, the National Medical Commission (NMC) declared conversion therapy as illegal and considers it in the category of ‘Professional Misconduct’ and has banned the practice under the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002, it added.
The panel noted that despite these judgments, it was unfortunate that conversion therapy is still prevalent and such programs seem to be organised and advertised.

DCW has issued a notice to the chairman of the National Medical Commission and has sought a copy of the inquiry report on the matter. The Commission has asked whether the program is being conducted or was conducted in the past and if so, details of action taken against the organisation, its office bearers, and trainers as well as whether their licenses have been revoked.
The Commission has also asked for a copy of the guidelines or advisories issued by the National Medical Commission banning conversion therapy of LGBTQIA+ persons.
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#DCW #seeks #action #illegal #conversion #therapy #LGBTQI #community
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 25, 2023
DCW issues notice to NMC over illegal training for conversion therapy of LGBTQIA+

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New Delhi: The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has issued a notice to National Medical Commission (NMC) seeking action against illegal trainings on conversion therapy for the LGBTQIA+ community being advertised under the banner of ‘World Congress of Psychologists’
According to the DCW, it has taken suo moto cognizance of an advertisement circulating on social media claiming that an organisation called the ‘World Congress of Psychologists’ with its head office in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, is conducting a three-month training program on psychosomatic disorders which started on March 10.
“The organisation appears to have offered training on tackling 47 different disorders, and has included homosexuality, lesbianism and transvestism in the advertisement,” said DCW in a statement issued on Saturday.
DCW chief Swati Maliwal issued the notice to the NMC Chairman and has sought a copy of the enquiry report in the matter.
The DCW has asked whether the program is being conducted or was conducted in the past and if so, details of action taken against the organisation, its office bearers and trainers as well as whether their licenses have been revoked.
It has also asked for a copy of the guidelines/advisories issued by NMC banning conversion therapy of LGBTQIA+ persons.
“It is an established fact that homosexuality, lesbianism and transvestism are not ‘psychosomatic disorders’. Over 50 years ago, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) issued a resolution stating that homosexuality is not a mental illness or sickness. Conversion therapies are a set of pseudo-scientific practices, targeting the LGBTIQA+ people into changing their sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.”
“In a judgment passed by the Madras High Court in 2021, directed th e National Medical Commission, Indian Psychiatric Society and The Rehabilitation Council of India to take action against the concerned professional involving themselves in any form or method of conversion “therapy” including withdrawal of license to practice,” said a DCW official.

“Pursuant to this order, the NMC declared conversion therapy as illegal and considers it in the category of ‘Professional Misconduct’ and has banned the pr actice under the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002.”
The official said that despite these judgements, it is unfortunate that conversion therapy is still prevalent and such programmes as mentioned seem to be organised and advertised.
Maliwal said that it is unfortunate that even in this age, there appear to be organisations in the country who seem to claim that homosexuality, lesbianism and transvestism are apsychosomatic disorders’ and need to be “cured” through conversion therapy.
“This is illegal and perpetuates myths, biases and discrimination in society against the LGBTQIA+ community. Every individual has a right to express their self identified gender and choose their sexual orientation. The Supreme Court has guaranteed these rights. Stringent action should be taken against organisations who indulge in such criminal acts,” she said.
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#DCW #issues #notice #NMC #illegal #training #conversion #therapy #LGBTQIA
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 25, 2023
Kashmir: On ‘Navroz’, leech therapy used to get rid of long-time aliments

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Srinagar: Every year on this day, hundreds of patients make a beeline outside leech therapy centers here in the hope of getting rid of their long-time ailments.
They undergo a procedure wherein leeches are released on a person’s body and the tiny predatory worms pierce his or her skin with their teeth and insert anticoagulants through their saliva, thus thinning the patient’s blood.
The leech therapists, usually medical practitioners from Unani system, claim that this procedure is very helpful in treating many ailments ranging from fatty liver to hypertension to blood clotting, which often causes strokes.
Dr Hakeem Naseer Ahmad, an Unani practitioner, told PTI that leech therapy is used in case of infarction, or when there is altered or impaired blood circulation.
“The leech acts as a wonder medicine. What is basically the mechanism of leech therapy? Our aim is not to suck out the blood but to inject the enzymes found in the saliva of the leech into the bloodstream. These improve the micro-circulation of blood and we achieve our pharmacological actions,” he said.
Ahmad, who has been holding leech therapy camps for the past 24 years, said he has found that the therapy is useful in treating both hypertension (high blood pressure) as well as hypotension (low blood pressure).
“We have seen that in hypertension cases, the blood pressure becomes normal within 15 minutes of leech therapy. In hypotension cases, we again found that the blood pressure was coming to normal levels,” he said.
Ahmad said the enzymes in the leech help in dissolving clots in the bloodstream, allowing for the free flow of blood.

“What we have observed is that there are small clots in vessels which we might not find (in diagnostics). The body responds by increasing the pressure to overcome the obstruction made by the clots. The enzymes from the leech saliva dissolve the clot which results in normalisation of blood pressure,” he added.
Ahmad claims that leech therapy can be helpful in managing glaucoma too.
Asked about the significance of holding the camps on March 21 every year, he said the body needs to be detoxified twice a year.
“According to Unani system of medicine, there are two seasons when body needs only one stimulant for detoxification — spring and autumn. And even among the two, spring is considered to be the best. This tradition has been going on for hundreds of years,” he said.
There is also a popular belief that leech therapy is more effective on ‘Navroz’, which was celebrated on March 21.
Abdul Salam Baba, a resident of the city, said he had been suffering from fatty liver and high blood pressure for many years.
“I went to many hospitals for treatment but in vain. Then I came here last year for leech therapy and my condition has improved significantly,” Baba said.
Mehrajuddin is accompanying his elderly mother for the leech therapy session as he found it useful in treating her problem of perennial coughs.
“My mother has benefited from leech therapy. She was having problem of frequent coughs for the past 30 years. We tried all types of treatment but there was no lasting solution as the cough would return after 10 to 15 days. However, the leech therapy has been successful and it has not returned,” he added.
The popularity of leech therapy has drawn many youngsters as well.
Muqaddas Naseer and Moazzam Ahmad are two youngsters transitioning from adolescence to adulthood and they are facing the usual skin problems associated with this process.
“I have dermatological problems for which I have come here. I tried many things including the allopathic treatment but there was no benefit,” Muqaddas said.
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#Kashmir #Navroz #leech #therapy #rid #longtime #aliments
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 21, 2023