india

Updated: Oct 17, 2017 21:57 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated the first ever 200-bed ayurveda hospital on the lines of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi and said his government plans to establish such traditional medical institutes in every district of the country. (Highlights)

“There is a strong need to integrate traditional and modern systems of medicines. This ayurveda hospital, which is like AIIMS, is equipped with most advanced technologies needed to treat patients,” Modi said as he launched the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) on the National Ayurveda Day.

The AIIA, which will function under the ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy or AYUSH, aims to offer quality patient care and become a research hub in generating scientific information about quality, safety, and efficacy of ayurvedic products.

Modi said there’s a long list of benefits of ayurveda and added that people are showing interest in traditional medicines.

“People are attracted not only to good health but also wellness... [There is a] need to strengthen ayurveda,” the Prime Minister said. “Like the IT revolution a few years ago, the time has come for a ‘health revolution’ under the aegis of ayurveda,” he added.

“More investment is needed in this sector for better growth,” Modi said as he appealed to private companies to contribute a part of their corporate social responsibility funds towards developing yoga and ayurveda.

The AIIA’s outpatient department (OPD) facility started functioning a few months ago and deals with neurological and degenerative diseases, rheumatology and musculoskeletal conditions, diabetes and metabolic disorders, allergic disorders, yoga, panchakarma, kriyakalpa, diabetic retinopathy and infertility among other conditions.

The first phase of the hospital was built with a budget of Rs 157 crore.

The hospital has a panchakarma therapy clinic that provides personalised care, laboratories, and diagnostic labs that conduct specialised pathology, biochemistry, microbiology tests and radiology scans.

It also teaches post-graduate students, PhD courses, and skill development programme.

“The idea is to popularise integrated medicine system. So far, allopathic doctors and those practising traditional systems of medicine have been working in silos, however, there is a need to break that practice and encourage them to work in tandem,” said Shripad Yesso Naik, AYUSH minister.

Terming swachhata (cleanliness) as a simple preventive healthcare mechanism, Prime Minister Modi said the government had built more than five crore toilets in three years.

“People’s perception about cleanliness has changed which is reflected in the fact in some people have started referring to toilets as ‘izzat ghar’.”

Modi said efforts were allegedly made to destroy “India’s strengths” and its traditions such as Yoga and Ayurveda were belittled during the “era of slavery” (pre-independence period).

“Attempts were even made to reduce the faith that Indians had on them. However, after getting freedom from slavery, there was hope that whatever was left would be preserved.

“But it did not become a priority. Things were left to fate. Those nations who leave their heritage behind are destined to lose their identity,” he said.

(With agency inputs)