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Sidha graduates irked over Siddha's exclusion from UAE's recognized Indian traditional medicines
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Peethaambaran Kunnathoor, Chennai
August 12 , 2025
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The Siddha graduates and post-graduates (BSMS and MD Siddha) in Tamil Nadu, as well as those currently working in the UAE, are protesting against the exclusion of the Siddha system from the list of recognized Indian traditional treatment systems in the UAE.
They are demanding that the Union Ministry of Ayush take immediate steps with the UAE government to ensure the Siddha system is considered for official recognition for practice, on par with Ayurveda and other streams within Ayush. This follows the successful inclusion of other Indian traditional systems such as Ayurveda, Unani, Yoga & Naturopathy and Homoeopathy, leaving Siddha doctors unable to legally practice their profession despite holding valid degrees.
Dr. Arul Amuthan, associate Siddha professor at Manipal University in Karnataka, has formally written to the Ministry of Ayush, underscoring the urgency of the matter. His appeal highlights the frustration and professional stagnation faced by Siddha graduates in the UAE, who are currently barred from practicing their system. He is urging the ministry to engage with UAE authorities to include Siddha in the list of recognized Indian traditional treatment systems.
Talking over telephone to Pharmabiz, he said, the core of the issue lies in a significant disparity, while the UAE has granted recognition to Ayurveda, Unani, Yoga & Naturopathy, and Homeopathy, the Siddha system has been left out. This recognition allows practitioners with BAMS, BNYS, BUMS, and BHMS degrees to legally work in the UAE, fostering the growth of these Indian traditional medicines and the Ayush industry as a whole in the region.
However, the BSMS (Bachelor of Siddha Medicine and Surgery) and MD Siddha degrees remain unapproved. This exclusion is a source of deep concern for the Siddha community, who feel that the spirit of the Ayush ministry is being compromised. The acronym Ayush itself includes 'S' for Siddha, a medical system deeply rooted in South Indian culture. The perception is that the ministry is being biased, promoting Ayurveda and Yoga while sidelining Siddha.
“There are approximately 20 Siddha doctors, all with degrees from NCISM-approved colleges in India, currently living in the UAE. These qualified professionals are in a difficult position, unable to utilize their expertise. They describe the situation as akin to being denied a passport, watching as their peers from other traditional systems are permitted to practice freely. They argue that the Ayush ministry has a responsibility to treat all its traditional systems equally and must therefore automatically include Siddha in any international agreements or efforts for recognition, as its exclusion constitutes a form of bias that undermines the ministry's purpose,” Dr Amuthan said.
Regarding the proactive steps taken by Siddha graduates in the UAE, he said a crucial development in this matter is the feedback they received directly from UAE health authorities. The authorities responded that they would immediately include Siddha in the recognized list as soon as they receive an official letter from the Indian government. This crucial information was relayed to the Ayush ministry, but the practitioners have been met with a prolonged silence, without any explanation for the delay or the ministry's action plan, he alleged.
In their formal request, the doctors have wanted the Ministry of Ayush to submit a set of necessary documents to the Department of Health and Prevention (DHAP) of the Government of the United Arab Emirates. This administrative step is the final hurdle to getting the degrees of BSMS and MD in Siddha officially approved, thereby enabling them to legally practice.
He said, the recognition would unlock a host of benefits, not only for the practitioners but also for the public. With the approval of Siddha doctors, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certified Siddha medicines and products could be supplied from India through local distributors. Furthermore, the practice of non-pharmacological therapies such as varma massage, thokkanam, and diet therapy would become more accessible to the public.
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