The Hindu Business Line : CEOs seek Kerala Govt help in popularising ayurveda

DIFFERENT STROKES: Terracotta figures depicting various forms of treatment in Ayurveda on display at the Global Summit on Ayurveda in Thrissur. - K.K. Mustafah

Kochi , Dec. 11

CEOs of various ayurvedic institutions have called upon the Government to extend maximum support for the development of ayurveda in view of its increasing popularity worldwide.

They were of the view that ayurveda has to be developed as an alternative system of medicine. They recalled that the President of India had in his address to the State Legislative Assembly highlighted the need for development of ayurveda.

The Government should initiate steps in this regard to enable the industry to seize the opportunity created by rising global interest, they said.

Participating at an interactive session at the Global Summit on Ayurveda organised by the Thrissur-based Vaidyaratnam, heads of various institutes stressed the need for documenting ayurveda treatment and standardisation of manufacturing practices of ayurveda drugs. The decision of the State Government to set up an ayurvedic research laboratory will be beneficial to the industry in the long run.

The Government has sanctioned Rs 22 crore for the project at the Kinfra Park in Koratty in Thrissur district. With the completion of the facility, manufacturers could test and validate their products at the lab so as to establish a Kerala brand of ayurvedic products.

Mr P.R. Krishna Kumar, Managing Director of the Arya Vaidya Pharmacy (Coimbatore) refuted allegations of the presence of heavy metals in ayurvedic medicines.

He pointed out that the presence of such metals is less than the permissible levels as the medicines prepared in the South were mostly based on herbs. He also called for a systematic study to ensure the quality of medicines in order to allay the fears of the West about the medicines.

Ms Seong Hee Um, Managing Director of Chung Bo International, South Korea, said that they had taken an initiative to introduce ayurveda in the curriculum of the universities and other educational institutions there.

Around 45 institutions have already introduced the basics of ayurveda like Panchakarma in its course. A memorandum of understanding would be signed with Vaidyarathnam for introducing the course in that country. A team of educationists from Korea will visit Vaidyarathnam to work out the modalities of the introduction of ayurveda course.

A team from Sri Lanka under the leadership of Mr G.Y.A. Rohana Pushpakumara, Sri Lankan Minister for Health, also participated in the discussion.

He said that the traditional system of ayurveda practice had started in his country more than 3,000 years ago. At present, there are three ayurvedic institutes and many other research institutions are functioning effectively in his country.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page