INTERNATIONAL CHARTER PROPOSED TO REINVIGRATE AYURVDEDA GLOBALLY
Express News Service - KOCHI
February 25, 2014-07:55 AM

The five-day Global Ayurveda Festival 2014 (GAF 2014) that came to a close on Monday called for the need to build an ayurveda brand, globally and nationally. It mooted an eight-point charter in its bid to provide a facelift to this traditional stream of medicine on a global level which includes a call for defining a clear framework that is acceptable to key stakeholders on the healthcare sector for appropriate integration of ayurveda with modern medicine.

Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution K V Thomas, who inaugurated the valedictory function, termed ayurveda as a way of life, but expressed concern over the fact that commercialisation of the traditional system of medicine is on the rise. Niranjan Sanyal, Secretary, Department of Ayush, of India was the chief guest at the function. Hibi Eden MLA presided over the function. The global ayurveda conclave urged to flex the government regulations and schemes, and exhorted support from both Centre and state governments for the rapid growth of ayurveda in India and abroad. It voiced the need to elevate ayurveda from a mere “massage” business to an authentic wellness service business model. The government should set up a payment mechanism for ayurveda, identical to that available for allopathy.

The need for human resource development to enable a sustained growth of the ayurveda sector was also raised. It further pointed out that it has become imperative that the best-in-class need to be lured to specialise in ayurveda.

The meet also stressed the need to put in place a continuous learning framework for ayurveda professionals. The festival also called for ensuring adequate supply of qualified and trained paramedical, technical and non-technical staff for its growth and efforts should be taken to ensure quality ayurvedic products and services. The event also played host to a KSIDC-backed International Business Meet which resulted in as many as 15 MoUs being finalised, and out of them, six were inked at the venue.

Around 350 stalls and the free ayurveda multi-specialty medical camp attracted more than 8000 people to the ayurveda expo. As many as 4000 delegates from as many as 35 nations participated in the five-day conference.