Current Affairs – February, 2019

Unani Day 2019

February 11 every year is observed as the Unani Day. As part of the Unani Day celebrations, various activities including marathons, writathon, quiz competitions, public health talks, daily health tips for the general public and workshops were organised across the country.

National Conference on Unani Medicine for Public Health

To commemorate the Unani Day 2019 a two day National Conference on Unani Medicine for Public Health was held at New Delhi.

The two-day conference had a dedicated session on lifestyle disorders and their management, regiment therapy, mother and child care, geriatric care, integration and mainstreaming of Unani Medicine in public health and globalisation of Unani Medicine. Also, a ceremony was held for the distribution of AYUSH Awards for Unani Medicine during the conference.

The conference shed light on the important role played by Unani Medicine in public health especially in combating NCDs, lifestyle disorders and various chronic diseases by providing cost-effective Unani treatment and quality products for patient healthcare.

The conference was hosted to provide an excellent platform for sharing of knowledge and development of linkages between institutes and organisations engaged in the promotion and development of Unani Medicine.

Why February 11 is celebrated as Unani Day?

February 11 marks the birth anniversary of Hakim Ajmal Khan. Hakim Ajmal Khan took great interest in the expansion and development of the native system of Unani medicine and to that end built three important institutions, the Central College in Delhi, the Hindustani Dawakhana and the Ayurvedic and Unani Tibbia College better known as Tibbia College, Delhi, which expanded research and practice in the field and saved the Unani System of Medicine from extinction in India.

His efforts infused a new force and life into an otherwise decaying Unani medical system under British rule. In recognition of the contribution of Hakim Ajmal Khan, the Ministry of AYUSH adopted 11th February as Unani Day in 2017.

MEA Organises Training Course for Govt officials from Nepal

The Ministry of External Affairs had organised a training course for the officials of the Government of Nepal on ‘Global Perspectives on Public Financial Management’ at the Institute of Government Accounts and Finance (INGAF) in New Delhi. The training programme was part of the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme.

It was a special tailor-made training programme on Public Finance Management designed at the request and requirement of the Ministry of Finance of Nepal for a total of 62 officials.

The training was aimed at enhancing the capabilities of the officials in global practices dealing with e-payment system, accounting & cash management, public borrowing system, accounting of foreign loans/grants and repayments, pension payment system, internal audit, fiscal responsibility and budget management, etc.

Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC)

The Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme was instituted on 15 September 1964 as a bilateral programme for providing assistance from the Government of India. The ITEC programme was constituted based on the underlying belief that it was necessary to establish relations of mutual concern and inter-dependence based not only on commonly held ideals and aspirations but also on solid economic foundations. Technical and economic cooperation was considered to be one of the essential functions of an integrated and imaginative foreign policy.

The ITEC Programme is fully funded by the Government of India. Due to the various successful initiatives of ITEC, there is now a visible and growing awareness among other countries about the competence of India as a provider of technical know-how and expertise as well as training opportunities, consultancy services and feasibility studies. As a result, these programmes are generating immense goodwill and substantive cooperation towards India among the developing countries.