BENGALURU: In a first in India, two hospitals will be collaborating to provide ayurvedic treatment to cancer patients in Bengaluru. Sri Shankara Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (SSCHRC), and AyurVAID Hospitals have set up a centre where patients can undergo ayurvedic treatment to alleviate effects of both cancer and cancer treatment.
Speaking at the launch of the Centre for Integrative Oncology (CIO), Dr B S Srinath, managing trustee for SSCHRC, said, “Both systems of medicine have their own strengths, it’s time for both of them to come together so that patients can get benefits from both sides.”
This introduction of ayurveda in cancer treatment will be a first as until now, no hospital has focused on integrating ayurveda in oncology in India. Both hospitals believe the integration will help alleviate both mental and physical stress of patients, and help in their recovery. “We had a woman who came to us 12 years after chemotherapy, when she had suffered multiple side-effects, and after a couple of weeks of ayurvedic treatment, her side-effects were gone,” said Rajiv Vasudevan, managing director and CEO of AyurVAID.
Vasudevan stressed that treatment was limited to supportive care and was not a cure for cancer. Dr Srinath said, “Many patients are worried, scared or stressed because of cancer, so the treatment helps alleviate that stress and gives both psychological and physical support to patients.” Vasudevan elaborated on the treatment, saying, “It’s more about boosting the morale of the patient, as many are susceptible to various issues as a result of the disease and treatment, so ayurveda helps alleviate those issues.”