Panchakarma

INTRODUCTION

Panchakarma – the five modes of bio purification is the unique weapon of Ayurveda in tackling diseases as well as in their prevention. The department of Panchakarma at Ashtamgam aims to make the students well versed in the Panchakarma procedures. They should be able to perform the procedures as well as know when and where each procedure should be utilized. The department of Panchakarma works with this vision. The department of Panchakarma has its role academically during the final year of BAMS.

During their course, they will be given theoretical knowledge of the Panchakarma procedures. Practically they will be given demo and self-practice sessions on the preparations and practice of a procedure. A separate area is assigned for the demo sessions and amenities including a dummy for practicing the procedures.

Panchakarma as a subject was earlier a part of Kayachiktsa and exams were conducted as paper 4 of Kayachikitsa during final BAMS. But later during early 2000 considering the importance of the detailed study of Panchakarma, it was decided to have a separate department and in Kerala, for the first time, Panchakarma MD started in 2004 at  Govt  Ayurveda College, Trivandrum. Officially in Govt Colleges of Kerala, it was in 2008 that a separate department of Panchakarma got formed.

INFRASTRUCTURE

VIDYAPEEDHAM-

Department with a museum of 60 specimens

Library of 63 books

Models 20

Charts 20

CHIKITSALAYAM

OPD – facility with all needed requirements for consultation

PANCHAKARMA THEATRE COMPLEX

A Well equipped theatre complex is functional supervised by the department which caters all Kriyakrama to be performed to each patient who is admitted to the Hospital In-Patient Department. We have separate male and female theatre facilities.

FACILITIES

• Regular OPD consultation
• IP FACILITY to admit patients
• Individual monitoring of patients for each kriyakarma
• Observations documented for each Kriyakrama
• Assessment of each Kriyakarma performed in the hospital.
• An exclusive panchakarma medical officer other than the teaching faculty to monitor and execute the best conductance of each kriyakarma in the most effective way for each patient
• A well-trained group of nearly 20 therapists to execute the procedure as instructed and monitored by panchakarma faculty.
• A separate medicine preparation room meant exclusively to prepare medicines for each Kriyakarma as instructed by the respective consultant. This space is available for the students too for their practical sessions.
• Well-trained panchakarma nurse each to male and female theatre complex to support the execution of each kriyakarma by monitoring vitals etc.

ACTIVITIES

• The dept runs OPD all day from 9 am -1 pm along with clinical training to final BAMS students.
• Parkinsons special OPD
• Neuro specialty OPD dealing with cases related to neurological and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. MND etc

ACADEMIC

• Regular classes and Clinical training sessions for students
• Regular therapy improvement sessions to panchakarma therapists
• Being part of various national platforms as resource persons.
• Documenting the cases and adverse reactions of various Panchakarma procedures
• Conductance of Rithu Shodhana therapy like Vasanthik Vamana, Sarad Virechana and required documentation
• Conducted seminar on the use of ghee named “Ghritha Sameeksha “ in November 2015.
• Conducted a Seminar on the procedure of Sirodhara named “Dhara Vicharam” in March 2016.
• Performing Ghritha Sambharana for preparation of Purana Ghritha for the last 5 years (from 2015).

SOCIAL

• Was a part of activities related with COVID 19 during fieldwork
• Extending activities through various talks and awareness classes about Ayurveda in schools, colleges, popular dailies

RESEARCH

1. Submitted project to AYUSH under EMR scheme

Title of the Research project:

An Open Clinical Trial to assess the efficacy Of an Ayurvedic Treatment Protocol in Improving Quality Of Life   in diagnosed Cases Of Idiopathic Parkinsons Disease. in 2016

2. Submitted a project to the school of fundamental research in Ayurveda under Kerala University of Health sciences

Title of the Research project:

An Exploration of the practice and relevance of Thalakkenna

OUR DREAM- as we march ahead

As the department of Panchakarma, we envisage the following things as our vision

• To train our students academically and clinically in the best possible way.
• To bring out the best clinicians who are confident in executing Kriyakrama in the most precise and best possible way.
• To make Panchakarma a part of life both as preventive and curative therapy for both students and staff. “Always better do than speak”
• To popularize cost-effective modes of effective Kriyakrama so that even a common man can afford
• To make the general public aware of the possibilities of panchakarma in preventive aspects and popularize its practice.
• To document and publish cases treated through Panchakarma and other kriyakarma in scientific journals.
• To envisage a healthier community, more productive, happy through Ayurveda  and panchakarma