Hyderabad: The state government has been asked to introduce postgraduate courses at the Government Gandhi Nature Cure College.
Dr. M Suresh Babu, President of Praja Science Vedika, along with other leaders including Prof. G Venkata Shiva Reddy, Dr. Pranayanath Reddy, and Dr. M Akhila Mitra, met with State Medical and Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha. They requested the college be upgraded to a research institute that offers MD programs in Naturopathy, Acupuncture, Nutrition, and Yoga starting this academic year. They also recommended setting up special departments for each subject.
In their letter to the Minister, they urged the government to include postgraduate courses at the college and to establish naturopathic hospitals in every district of the state. These hospitals would help improve healthcare access and promote natural healing methods.
The group emphasized the growing popularity of naturopathy, which focuses on natural treatments and aims to help people take charge of their own health. This approach is seen as a better alternative by many, as it targets the root cause of health problems rather than just symptoms.
However, they pointed out that there are not enough reliable naturopathic facilities in the state. The Government Gandhi Nature Cure College, located in Hyderabad, is India’s oldest naturopathy college. But because it doesn’t offer postgraduate courses, many students are forced to study in private institutions outside the state. This has created a high demand for seats at the college.
Due to this demand, many patients are unable to access proper treatment. The group also raised concerns about unqualified people practicing naturopathy without proper training. They believe that by opening district-level naturopathic hospitals, these problems can be reduced.
They said that building proper naturopathic facilities would give people across the state access to safe and science-based natural treatments. It would also help control the spread of false health claims and unsafe practices.
Resident doctors have also supported this idea and are urging the government to act quickly. According to the memorandum, the Government Gandhi Naturopathy College, which is 55 years old, has not seen much development since it started. Other than the BNYS course, no new diploma or postgraduate programs have been added.
