The National Institute of Unani Medicine in Ghaziabad is facing a new challenge along with its success. Because its treatments are so effective, the number of patients in the Out-Patient Department (OPD) has reached 1,800 per day. However, due to a lack of proper facilities, most patients are forced to wait for their turn outside, sitting on the ground in the scorching sun.
Just yesterday (Wednesday), hundreds of patients were seen waiting on the ground for hours to see a doctor. The process of getting a token first and then a registration slip makes the wait even longer. One patient, Mukesh, said that the treatment at the institute is good, but "waiting for hours like this can make your health even worse."
This is the same well-known institute that was virtually inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 11, 2022. Built on 10 acres of land, it also includes a medical college for higher education (post-graduate and PhD) in Unani medicine.
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The main reason for the institute's growing popularity is that Unani medicines provide quick relief for diseases related to bones, arthritis, spondylosis, muscles and the spinal cord. Therapies like massaging with 'Rogan Baboona' oil for joint pain have been very helpful for patients.
The statistics also tell the story of its success.
- From April 2023 to March 2024, over 212,000 patients visited the OPD.
- In the current financial year (which started in April 2025), that number has already crossed 300,000.
- Patients are coming not just from Ghaziabad, but also from Delhi, Noida, Faridabad, Meerut, and Hapur.
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Regarding the patients' troubles, the institute's director, Dr Syed Shah Alam, said, "We are aware of this issue. The official process has been started to build a shed to protect patients from the sun and rain. It will be constructed soon."