Pertubuhan Perubatan Tradisional India Malaysia

Pertubuhan Perubatan Tradisional India Malaysia (PEPTIM) or Malaysian Association of Traditional Indian Medicine (MATIM) was incorporated in 2004 to represent the practitioners of Traditional Indian Medicine in Malaysia.

“When health is absent Wisdom cannot reveal itself, Art cannot become manifest, Strength cannot be exerted, Wealth is useless and Reason is powerless.”

Such is the importance of health. The practice of Traditional Indian Medicine plays a key role in maintaining health and sustaining well-being.

Pertubuhan Perubatan Traditional Indian (PEPTIM) or Malaysian Association of Traditional Indian Medicine (MATIM) was incorporated in 2004 with the intention of representing the practitioners of Traditional Indian Medicine in Malaysia.

Traditional Indian Medicine dates back thousands of years, originating from India. Today, it has spread globally, to incorporate every aspect of the mind, body and soul. It heals from within, using natural remedies that predate written record and were handed down by word of mouth.

In recent years, the practice of Traditional Indian Medicine has gained a strong following among the urbanites as it ideally addresses modern-day chronic and lifestyle related diseases. Recognising this trend, PEPTIM aims to empower the users of TIM with the strength of trust and power of belief to engage in the usage of the various facets of the ISM, ranging from Siddha, Unani, Yoga, Ayurveda and Indian Naturopathy.

We intend to ensure the remedies, modalities and treatment our practitioners offer their patients stem from the very best in terms of quality and adherence to a standardised set of principles and guidelines.

To ensure Traditional and Complementary Medicine (T&CM) services are provided in a manner that is at par with conventional standards, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were established for use in T&CM units, some of which have now been incorporated into public hospitals, owing to the Ministry of Health’s proactive stance in advocating indigenous medicine systems, alongside allopathic medicine. This exposes patients to the best of both worlds.

Today, PEPTIM is projecting itself as a renowned body representing professional Vaithiyars and we fully intend to propel this system of medicine to greater heights and to ensure the dissemination of a better health care system for the rakyat.

Mindful of the trends in the T&CM industry, PEPTIM realises the need to present information on TIM to existing and potential users. As the evolution of choice takes place, PEPTIM will stand tall as the body responsible for the regulation and monitoring of the industry while ensuring the preservation of the efficacy of the Indian System of Medicine.

Traditional and Complementary Medicine in Malaysia

Hippocrates is known to have said, “Wherever the art of Medicine is loved, there is also a love of Humanity.”

The truth of this quote resonates in the level of interest, care, and dedication displayed by the government towards the practice of Traditional & Complementary Medicine in Malaysia and it certainly holds testament to the government’s love for humanity and concern for the well-being of the rakyat.

Understanding the importance of T&CM, the Government of Malaysia has taken a proactive stance in integrating the practice of Traditional Indian Medicine to complement patient treatment programs at selected hospitals around the country. This has certainly worked to elevate the level of awareness towards the Indian System of Medicine and its proven benefits in aiding patient remission.

The Ministry of Health has also successfully gazetted the Traditional & Complementary Medicine Act 2016, known as Act 775 which will provide for the establishment of the Traditional & Complementary Medicine Council.

This act will elevate the practice of traditional medicine, legalise and standardise its treatment methodology and bolster the public’s confidence towards the use of traditional medicines.

PEPTIM pledges to ensure its members abide by the rules and regulations outlined in the Act while striking a balance to ensure the original Indian System of Medicine is not compromised for the health betterment of our patients.

The Gurukulum Principle

The Traditional Indian Medicine practitioners in Malaysia derived their knowledge via the practice of an ancient guru-shisyen system of gurukulam.

This generational clause has been the nucleus of the Indian System of Medicine as a mode of passing on hundreds of years of research. This system creates superior Vaithiyars, who are distinct in the practice of their craft as apart from paper qualifications awarded by recognised bodies, they hold the verbal remedies, a result of hundreds of years of trial and research.

As an ethnobotanist, Mark Plotkin once said “Each time one of the medicine men dies, it’s as if a library has burned down.”

This reflects the importance of the grandfathering clause as we need to ensure all verbal remedies are gathered for use by future generations, not merely wasted following the demise of an aged Vaithiyar.