All-women staff run the show at Ayurvedic dispensary

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 13

It is women, who run this Government Ayurvedic Dispensary located at Barewal Road. From doctor and pharmacist to Class IV employee and trained midwife, all are women here.

The reigns of this dispensary are in the hands of Dr Neeru Kalsi, pharmacist Ashwant Kaur, Class IV employee Saraswati and trained midwife Pritam Kaur.

“Ayurveda is all about using natural things and treating diseases naturally. Sometimes, patients don’t need medicine but remedies that lie in their kitchen itself. I share home remedies with such patients,” says Dr Neeru Kalsi, in-charge of the dispensary.

“We have kept homemade chyawanprash and panjeeri and also advise people coming to us to consume these during winters to keep themselves warm,” adds pharmacist Ashwant Kaur.

In winter season, the dispensary opens at 9 am and we start getting patients in the morning itself. People going to office put a halt here for medication and consultation. She also takes women yoga class everyday. “It has been five years that I have been working at Barewal. Earlier, I was at Mundian. Over the 17 years of my professional experience, I have seen that people are now slowly drifting towards the alternate system of medicine. Apart from getting patients suffering from seasonal diseases, patients with skin diseases also come to us in huge numbers,” said Dr Kalsi.

Daily, the dispensary gets nearly 20-25 patients. Dr Kalsi said, “One should drink lukewarm water in winter. Panjeeri is also recommended and even diabetics can have panjeeri, but without sugar and it will suffice their need for calories and is also a healthy way to start the day. Flax seeds and sesame seeds should also be added to it as they control cholesterol and also control blood pressure.”