Global conclave stresses for ties among nations for growth of traditional medicines

Sharing of expertise and boosting of mutual cooperation with an open approach to traditional medicines will help the sector burgeon beyond frontiers, foreign delegates said at a global conclave here on Saturday.

They were speaking at the International Cooperation Conclave held at the fifth Global Ayurveda Festival (GAF 2023) at Greenfield International Stadium at nearby Karyavattom.

The biennial event, slated to be the largest ever Ayurveda conclave, is organised by the Centre for Innovation in Science and Social Action (CISSA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Ayush, the Government of India, the Government of Kerala and various Ayurveda associations.

The central theme of the event is ''Emerging Challenges in Healthcare and A Resurgent Ayurveda.'' Inaugurating the conclave, Gaya Kanchana, Secretary of State Minister of Indigenous Medicine, Sri Lanka, said his country is ready to join hands with India for research and development purposes in the field of traditional medicine as well as Ayurveda.

Kanchana, who is also MD of Ayurveda Drug Corporation, invited pharmaceutical companies in the sector to explore the indigenous pharma market in the island nation.

He said the government will extend all the facilities for drug factories and Ayurveda hospitals in Lanka. Lauding India for leading the innovations in traditional medicine, he said evidence-based research is needed to carry Ayurveda into the modern world.

The indigenous medicine system of Sri Lanka and the Ayurveda medicine system of Kerala are very similar, he pointed out.

''GAF 2023 will fulfil its aim of convincingly positioning Ayurveda's potential by showcasing its conceptual foundation and infinite application of possibilities by reaching out to the health-seeking global mankind,'' he said.

Peter Hobwani, Deputy to Ambassador, Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe, said the challenge in Africa is to develop traditional medicine and let it come into the mainstream of medical treatment.

According to him, Ayush is increasingly becoming the future of medicine and Zimbabwe has recognised the leadership of India in this regard and also inked MoUs with India on Ayush.

Noting the importance of cooperation and exchanges of doctors, Lasha Japaridze, Charge d'affaires, Embassy of Georgia, said awareness campaigns are going on in the country about Ayurveda and India is the avant-garde of the development of traditional medicine across the globe.

''We have established direct cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. An MoU on cooperation in this field is pending under consideration,'' he informed.

Elia Sevutia, Second Secretary, High Commission of the Republic of Fiji, New Delhi, said a good number of people are visiting India for Ayurveda treatment, apart from Fijian students serving in hospitals here.

The fifth edition of the GAF 2023 was inaugurated by vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar here on Friday.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)