HOMOEOPATHY is a cheaper and effective method of treating various kinds of diseases. Its importance should not be ignored.

Unfortunately the National Council for Homoeopathy, through which many homoeopathic medical colleges (HMCs) across Pakistan operate under the ministry of health, are not providing good, sufficient and quality education and atmosphere to their students.Even70 percent of the HMCs do not have dispensaries or hospitals where qualified DHMS doctors can fulfil and complete their house jobs/trainee practices.

Furthermore, the National Council for Homoeopathy has failed to organise the necessary admissionand examinations.

Various HMCs offer and announce admission availability through attractive advertisements in the media.

Unfortunately, due to defective standards, students without any good academic background in pre-medical or science discipline tend to get admission easily at any time during the year. Are these medical colleges just business ventures? Such non-standard HMCs, having no admission policy or examinations, eligibility criteria, qualitative and competitive education, qualified teaching faculty along with necessary staff, institutional dispensary or hospital, should be checked.

The policy of admission to HMCsshould be revised as the minimum qualification must be Intermediate in the pre-medical group with 45 per cent marks obtained, along with a pre-entry test for all candidates under a maximum age limit 25 or 30.

Intermediate four years of DHMS diploma qualification should be entertained as equal to a BSc or bachelor's degree. For the promotion of this ancient art of homoeopathy, it's the need of time to establish homoeopathic units in government hospitals across Pakistan. All other pathies like Ayuredic /hikmat should also be entertained in the same scenario.

DR MUHAMMAD ANEES ARAIN Hyderabad