Chandiroor to be declared as first siddha village in India

KOCHI: Chandiroor, a village in Alapuzha district of Kerala, will be declared as the first Siddha village in India by Union Health Minister, Dr Anbumani Ramadoss on September 5.

The objective is to make the village, which will be adopted by the Shantigiri Siddha Medical college, disease free within three years.

The declaration will be made at a function at Chandiroor, Swami Jyothirmaya Jnana Thapaswi, President of the Shantigiri Ashram, running the College, said.

A survey conducted by the students and doctors of Santhigiri Siddha Medical college recently showed that of the nearly 3000 families residing in the village, 2300 were suffering from various ailments, R Gopalakrishnan, chief executive, Shantigiri Ayurveda and Siddha Vaidyashala told a press meet here.

From this month, a team of doctors from the Santhigiri Siddha medical college will conduct a medical camp every month at Chandiroor to diagnose the patients and distribute medicines.The patients would also be given ‘Health cards’ for follow up treatment, Swami Jyothirmaya Jnana Thapaswi said.

According to the survey conducted by the medical college 25 per cent of the patients suffered from Rheumatic complaints, 20 per cent had respiratory problems and 15 per cent of the people had various skin diseases.

People in the area do not have access to safe drinking water as it has been contaminated by industrial wastes, micro organisims and other wastes and sewage, the survey revealed.