‘Develop plan to make Kerala a global destination for Ayurveda’

Darshan Shanker, founder of the Foundation for the Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions, Bangalore and a member of the Sam Pitroda Mission, today, said that a strategic plan had to be developed to make Kerala a global destination for ayurveda.

He was speaking at the vision conclave on ayurveda organised by the Ayurveda Medical Association of India, here on Saturday.

“You get the most authentic expression of ayurveda in Kerala, be it the medicines that are the best in terms of quality, the panchakarma treatment for its authenticity and specialised treatment procedures and clinical excellence for sectors like mental health, ‘nethruchikitsa’ (ophthalmology), neurology and so on. The lamp has already been lit, you just need to raise the profile,” he said.

Chalking out the various ways in which ayurveda can be promoted to international acceptability and recognition Darshan Shaker advocated the development and widespread use of a well-designed web-based software at every clinic so as to bring about large-scale clinical evidence about efficacy of ayurvedic treatment and drugs.

Darshan Shanker talked about the need for tying up and collaborating with IT institutions as well as clinical research institutions, institutions that have already shown excellence in the field and a communication agency for mass education programme on ayurveda. He also suggested the  introduction of insurance cover for ayurveda.

Health Minister V S Sivakumar, who inaugurated the event, said that as part of the State Government’s initiatives to make Kerala the capital of ayurveda, the proposed Ayurveda University will not be one that just run courses and exams, but it will give priority to research as per international standards. “The importance attached to ayurveda by this government can be assessed by the fact that Pitroda Committee has ranked development of ayurveda as third in a list of ten development initiatives,” said V S Sivakumar.

“We are examining ways by which this ancient system of medicine can be utilised in public health matters. At the same time, steps will be taken for a global propagation too,” he added.

The Kerala State Council for Science Technology and Environment executive vice- president V N Rajasekharan Pillai said that one of the major challenges faced by ayurveda is international acceptability for which clinical evidence and scientific validation is a must.

But he cautioned that this has to be done without losing out on the tradition of ayurveda. 

AMAI state president Vinodkumar, in his presidential address said that there should be a realistic assessment of where this science of healing would be twenty-five years from now, by recognising both strengths as well as weaknesses.

The inaugural session was followed by group discussions on various topics such as Clinics, Industry and Economy, Research and Clinical Validation, Global Propagation, Public health, Cultivation of Medicinal Plants and Education. The suggestions from the conclave will be developed into a comprehensive action plan and submitted to Sam Pitroda committee as well as the State Government.