In addition to homeopathy's popularity in France, England, Scotland, and Germany, it is also very popular in The Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, and Greece.
Homeopathy Goes Mainstream in India
Despite homeopathy's impressive popularity in Europe, it is even more popular in India. Presently, there are over 100,000 homeopathic doctors and over 100 four- and five-year homeopathic medical colleges in this country. Considering how many more trained homeopaths there are in India compared with the U.S., perhaps one day India will send a Peace Corps team of homeopathic physicians to America.
Homeopathy has achieved such respect that in 1987 the government established homeopathic drug detox clinics in six different police stations in New Delhi. A recent conference in India which described impressive results in the homeopathic treatment of drug addiction received accolades from India's Minister of Health and Family Welfare, the Finance Minister, and the Chief Justice.12 In addition to the Indian government's support of homeopathic drug detox clinics, they have also supported various research projects and homeopathic hospitals and clinics.
Even Mother Teresa, who for many decades has served India's poorest citizens with medical care, has added homeopathic care to the services offered at her missions. Mother Teresa has a special interest in homeopathic medicine because of its effectiveness and low cost.
At present, four charitable homeopathic dispensories are run under the guidance of the Mother's Missionaries of Charity. One of these dispensories primarily provides homeopathic medicines to poor and sick children in Calcutta, while the other three provide homeopathic medicines to anyone who needs them. Considering the serious health problems that poor people in India experience, it is truly miraculous that homeopathic medicines are so effective as the primary method of treatment for many children and many adults.
Mother Teresa opened her first charitable homeopathic dispensory in Calcutta in 1950. She is known to prescribe homeopathic medicines herself sometimes.
Dr. (Sister) M. Gomes, a physician who has worked at the Mother's Mission in Calcutta since 1945, notes that one of the obstacles to the spread of homeopathy in the Mother's work is inadequate funding for homeopathic hospitals.
Homeopathic Peristroika in the Soviet Union 13
Homeopathy is even relatively popular in the Soviet Union. Although there are only about 500 homeopathic physicians, they are popular enough that most of them charge for their services. Since most Russians receive free conventional medical care, it is indeed a tribute to homeopathy that a growing number of Russian citizens are paying for homeopathic care.
Because Russian homeopaths charge for their services, they have become part of the new entrepreneurial "peristroika" that is presently occurring.
Even Izvestia recently published a series of articles on homeopathy in which they reported that a homeopathic clinic established for factory workers in 1984 resulted in a 10.1% decrease in days lost due to sickness. The series of articles concluded with an editorial that advocated further support for it from the Ministry of Health.
As a further sign of homeopathy's growing acceptance, President Gorbachev awarded a medal to Dr. Demyan Popov for his work in popularizing homeopathy in the USSR.