IRIIM (Indian Research Institute for Integrated Medicine) employs alternate methods of treatment using Yoga, Naturopathy and Acupuncture, combining at the same time, the most recent medical developments in these areas. IRIIM has been a pioneer hospital providing specialized healthcare to all, for more than 20 years.

IRIIM was VIDE's first NGO partner with relationship going back to October 2000. Our first project with IRIIM was to fund relief materials for flood affected victims of West Bengal. We gave IRIIM USD 1000 for this purpose and this was utilized in buying blankets for 250 homeless people in the winter.

IRIIM came up with a novel project idea. They wanted to develop a digital database of photos of patients tongues. They correlated the color and the texture of the ailing persons tongue with their ailment and found that almost always they could diagnose a person just by comparing his/her present tongue conditions with existing images in the database.

This database was then electronically circulated among other doctors in far-flung areas, who used it to diagnose patients without any invasive testing. This novel method won them international accolades and they were invited to present a paper at a World Health Organization conference in Singapore. The requirements for this project was digital camera and accessories, totaling a cost of USD 1000. VIDE supported this expense.

Besides its main hospital, IRIIM runs amongst others, a very successful Drug Rehabilitation Center and a Yoga center at their premises. They were facing severe space shortage for their Drug Rehab center and as such had to take in many less patients than they could have treated. We funded them USD 4100 to add a floor to their existing building. We have received a further proposal of USD 10,000 for construction of a bigger indoor hospital.

Situated in a congested rural belt in the outskirts of Calcutta, IRIIM has been very popular with the local populace since it provides very low cost medicare using locally grown herbs and other home-grown therapeutic techniques. Their methods do not require costly medical examination and often produce dramatic improvements for patients, who other doctors have written off. This has led to a steady stream of patients from far flung areas from Tripura to Delhi.

Project Owner:
Sounak Sinha

Independant observer for the undertaking of the project in India:
Ms Bipasha Jash
Contact in India:
Dr. D. Bakshi, Hony. Secy.
Indian Research Institute for Integrated Medicine (IRIIM)
Mourigram Station Para, P.O. Unsani, Howrah- 711 302. India.
Ph. No.: (033) 669 - 6671/0782/0652.