Govt working towards Ayurveda hospital in each district, says the Prime Minister.

The government is working towards setting up an Ayurveda hospital in each district, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday and asserted that time had come for a “health revolution” under the aegis of the traditional medicine system.

Addressing a gathering after dedicating the first All India Institute of Ayurveda to the nation here, the Prime Minister pitched for affordable and accessible healthcare for the poor on Ayurveda Day on Tuesday.

The day was also celebrated as Dhanwantari Jayanti (Dhanteras) across India. “It is very necessary for the expansion of Ayurveda that there is a good hospital with all facilities ... in every district of the country. The AYUSH Ministry is working swiftly in this direction, and in more than three years, more than 65 AYUSH hospitals have been developed,” Mr. Modi said.

Back to nature

Noting that the world was heading “back to nature and wellness”, he described Ayurveda as India’s strength and urged those working in the sector to revive it. He also asked experts from the field to find medicines which could, like allopathy, give immediate relief to people but without side-effects.

Noting that people across the world were getting attracted towards good health and wellness, the Prime Minister suggested that time was ripe for an “atmosphere of Ayurveda”. He also batted for better and modern packaging of ayurvedic medicines.

The Prime Minister urged private players to use part of their corporate social responsibility funds to help strengthen Ayurveda. “We have seen the IT revolution in last 30 years. Now, time has come for a health revolution under the aegis of Ayurveda. Let’s pledge to strengthen, revive Ayurveda.”

Mr. Modi suggested a re-look at the Ayurveda syllabus and underlined the requirement for standard guidelines and treatment in the medicine system so it was not overpowered by allopathy.

He said efforts were made to destroy “India’s strengths” and its traditions such as Yoga and Ayurveda were belittled.