For the past four years, homoeopath Rajesh Shah has been breaking his own record in the Limca Book by treating patients from all around the globe. This net savvy doctor, who has treated patients from 110 nations, now wants to open a homoeopathic college-cum-hospital in Mumbai.

Global Doc on Duty
Sunday Pioneer, Mumbai

For the past four years, homoeopath Rajesh Shah has been breaking his own record in the Limca Book by treating patients from all around the globe. This net savvy doctor, who has treated patients from 110 nations, now wants to open a homoeopathic college-cum-hospital in Mumbai.
-says TN RAGHUNATHA

HOMOEOPATHY may not considered as modern and efficacious as allopathic medicine, especially for chronic disorders. But doubting Thomases will change their preferences the moment they interact with Mumbai-based homeopath, Dr Rajesh Shah.

Dr Shah is one among the few most accessible doctors in the world. And you need not rush to one of Asia's largest homoeopathic clinic-cum-research centers at Ghatkopar. He is just a click away on the internet for both consultation and treatment.

Dr Shah may not like to talk about the emerging concept of e-medicine, but he has been practicing homoeopathic medicine over the Net for nine years. During this period, he has treated over one lakh Patients based in 110 countries- a feat that will win him an entry into the Limca Book of Records for the fourth consecutive year in 2004. He got his maiden entry into the Limca Book of Records in 2001 as recognition for treating patients from 77 countries. Since then, he has also now in midst of documentation for an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records.

Forty-one-year old Shah calls himself a homoeopath-activist. "More than recognition, what is important for me is to create an awareness about homoeopathy all over the world." he says. No wonder then that he and his homoeopath wife Rupal have together set up Life Force, a homoeopathic clinic-cum-research centre. They have also launched 20-odd websites, giving information about homoeopathic medicine for various chronic diseases.

A net-savvy doctor has developed an e-medicine data base for homoeopathy. He answers at least 100 e-mails from his patients in India and elsewhere in the world. In his data bank, he has the names and addresses of homoeopaths working in 130-odd nations. "At any point of time, my team and I have 30,000 patients on our treatment rolls. Besides, I make the most of my database. Whenever I get an e-mail, I see whether I can treat the patient myself. If I can, I diagnose the case, suggest the line of treatment and courier the drugs if necessary." he says.

"In cases where I cannot give personal attention.. I write back to the patients giving the names and addresses of homoeopaths operating in their neighborhood, be in the US, Europe, Australia or New Zealand, so that they can meet the specialist doctors there." Dr Shah says. There are a million homoeopathys all over the world. "A majority of homoeopaths live in India and not Germany where the medicine was invented 200 years ago." he adds.

Dr Shah laments that the efficacy of homoeopathy in curing common and chronic diseases has not been fully exploited in India."What people do not realize is that homoeopathy is more modern and refined than allopathy and ayurveda in curing chronic diseases. What we adopt in homoeopathy is a totalistic approach. Here, we do not believe in treating the disease in parts. We take into account the mid-body understanding. The constitutional approach helps us treat the patient at a much deeper level. This is root-level healing." he says.

Homoeopathy is particularly effective against skin diseases like eczema, allergies, ulcerative colitis, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, migranes, multiple psoriasis, irritable bowel syndrome, nephrotic syndrome and lichen planus - the last one afflicts nearly 1.3 percent of the world population. "Homoeopathy has cure for even Hepatitis-C which has hit the US in a big way. The number of people afflicted with Hepatitis-C in the US is two-and-a-half times more than the ones suffering from Hepatitis-A and B." Dr Shah discloses.

Though more known for on-line homoeopathic treatment, Dr Shah is more into propagating homoeopathy the world over. Among other things, he runs the Homoeopathy India Foundation(HIF), whose key areas are promotion, world wide practice education and fundamental research. He and his wife also take considerable time out to treat patients visiting their Sanjivak Homoeopathic Centre for difficult diseases.

The homoeopath-couple also edits international journal Homoeopathy Times and holds three-week annual clinical training camps for allopathic doctors from US and Europe. The Shahs are now busy expanding Life Force, which was inaugurated by Maharashtra Governor three months ago.

A student of CMP Homoeopathy Medical College at vile parle in north-west Mumbai. Dr Shah has fond memories of those days. He recounts: "Even during my college days, I would go around with slips carrying details about the efficacy of homoeopathy. I would hold forth about the medicine I was studying to people from all walks of life."

In the years to come. Dr. Shah would like to set up a homoeopathic college-cum-hospital along the lines of the one where he studied.

Ask him what is his ultimate aim as a homoeopath and pat comes the reply: "In the next 10 years, I would like to bring homoeopathic drugs into mainstream medicine all over the world."

In his databank, Dr. Shah has names and addresses of homoeopaths from 130 countries. And whenever he is not able to give consultation to the patient, he recommends him to the one nearest his place of residence.

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