World Unani Day 2022

World Unani Day is celebrated across the world on 11 February every year. 

Context

World Unani Day is celebrated across the world on 11 February every year. 

• The day is marked on the birth anniversary of social reformer and great Unani scholar, Hakim Ajmal Khan.

What is the meaning of Unani?

• The meaning of Unani in Arabic is 'Greek' while Unani medicine is termed as Unani Tibb, Arabian medicine, or Islamic medicine. 
• It assumes the four main elements- Fire, Water, Air and Earth which corresponds to four humours - Phlegm, Black bile, Blood, and Yellow bile respectively. 

Background

• Hakim Ajmal Khan contributed tremendously in the development of the Unani system of medicine. 
• To recognise his contributions, the Ministry of AYUSH, government of India declared his birthday as World Unani Day.
• The First World Unani day was celebrated in 2017 at Hyderabad's Central Research Institute of Unani Medicine (CRIUM). 
• In 2018, the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM) also began the scheme of AYUSH awards in different categories for the Unani system of Medicine.
• The year 2018 also marked Hakim Ajmal Khan’s 150th birth anniversary and hence, celebrations were carried out in a grand manner. 
• AYUSH awards for Unani medicine were distributed at a two-day International Conference during the event held at Vigvan Bhawan, New Delhi.

About Hakim Ajmal Khan

• World Unani Day is celebrated every year to mark the birth anniversary of Hakim Ajmal Khan.
• He was an eminent Indian Unani physician who was a versatile genius, a great scholar, a social reformer, a noted freedom fighter, a Unani medical educationist and founder of scientific research in Unani System of Medicine.
• He was one of the founders of the Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi.

Theme

• The theme for the International conference of 2022 is ‘Diet and Nutrition in Unani Medicine for good health and well-being’. 
• The conference will be held on 10 and 11 February in hybrid virtual mode due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Significance

• A science of life, health and medicine, Unani system of medicine aims to help people in living a healthy life. 

• The ancient Unani medical system also has the potential to reverse a person’s declining health. 
• Unani medicine is also safe and cost effective, hence it is extremely crucial to identify the significance of Unani medicine and reap its benefits in a world that is experiencing degradation of health.
• Through International Conferences organised on World Unani Day, researchers and experts come together to promote the utilisation of Unani Medicine among the masses and to lead them towards good health.