Role of homoeopathic treatment in scabies infection in adivasi children attending ashram shalas (resident schools)

Abstract

Scabies is a frequent skin disease suffered by of the tribal (adivasi) children attending residential schools. The humid iving conditions, crowding, poor personal hygiene , and inadequate nutritional status of the children poses formidable challenges in the management of this disoreder. Prolonged allopathic treatment often fails to eradicate the infection in this unfortunate population. Infection and other complications are common. A prospective, randomized controlled, single blind study was carried out during the period November 2004 to December 2007 to explore the efficacy of homoeopathic treatment in tackling scabies infection and controlling the spread. 300 cases were enrolled and divided into three treatment groups i.e. constitutional group, acute / sector group and placebo group. Scabies infection was diagnosed by the dermatologist and graded as per the severity of infection and children were observed for 2 years. All treatment groups were subjected to standard hygienic measures during the course of the study. Results were analyzed at the end of each year. 90% of the chilodren from constitutional group improved at the end of the first year whereas 27% from the acute and 4% from the placebo group improved. At the end of the second year, the rate of improvement of the cnstitutional group rose to 98% whereas 48% from the acute and 12% from placebo group improved. The prevalence of scabies in the school dropped from 52% to 17% at a time when the prevalence of scabies in the residential schools in the area did not show any reduction. The result demonstrated statistically sifnificant improvement in the constitutional group as compared to the response in the acute and the placebo groups. It is concluded that the constitutional approach holds great promise in the cure and control of treatment of infective skin conditions in a closed group. The results also highlight the efficacy of homoeopathic medicines at a community level thus opening up the vast untapped area of community medicine to homoeopathic interventions.