Leech therapy: J&K government to launch crackdown against quacks

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to launch a crackdown against the quacks for practicing ` leech therapy’ on gullible people in the valley.

Thousands of people undergo leech therapy on Navroz, the beginning of the Persian year. Doctors, however, flagged the unscientific procedure by quacks while conducting leech therapy.

“We are going to take strict action against the people who are practicing leech therapy on patients without any training. Mostly the quacks are using this therapy on patients. Since they have no scientific background, there are chances that leech therapy may result in different blood infections,” said Dr. Farooq Naqashbandi, Medical Superintendent, Government Unani Hospital Shalteng.

Dr. Farooq Naqashbandi said people practicing this therapy should have proper scientific knowledge. “Before conducting therapy, a leech has to be weighed and it has to be repeated after the therapy to know how much blood it has sucked. Leech species have to be carefully chosen. Because only a selected few leeches are recommended for this therapy,” he said.

Dr. Naqashbandi said there are possibilities of contracting various diseases if the therapy is not done under the supervision of experts.

“Here this therapy is mostly conducted in an unethical way. A person can contract deadly diseases like HIV and other blood-related diseases if done by inexperienced people,” Dr. Naqashbandi said.

He said leech therapy helps in treating immunity-related diseases.

“Undergoing leech therapy on Navroz is a very good practice. Winters are very cold here and the body accumulated various toxins during the season. Navroz is the beginning of summer and through this therapy, a person can get detoxed,” Dr. Naqashbandi said.

“A leech releases 20 bio-active chemicals through its saliva. This therapy can treat swelling, and ulcers and is useful for pain management,” he added.

Dr. Naqashbandi said the leeches used in Kashmir are medically beneficial.

“Hirudo Medicinals are medically proven very beneficial for humans. People should get benefitted by undergoing this therapy from experts, ” he said.

He said two leech breeding and research centers have been established in Jammu and Kashmir to promote this centuries-old therapy.

“One center is in Jammu Ayurvedic Hospital and another in Government Unani Hospital Shalteng. We are providing this therapy treatment to people in both these institutes. Further, funding has been approved by the Centre to promote this type of treatment,” he said.