Pratham Chitlangiya
24th November 2020
United Nations ready to set a tradition medical facility in India (Source: The Tatva)
Under the able leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Damodar Das Modi, the World Health Organisation took cognizance of India emerging as the 'pharmacy of the world' and announced that they would set up a Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in India.
WHO Director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus took to a video message to further appreciate PM Modi's commitment to the universal health insurance coverage under Ayushman Bharat and promotion of traditional medicines with evidence to achieve sustainable medicinal objectives. The video message was released and played at an event where PM Modi inaugurated two ayurvedic institutions in Jamnagar and Jaipur via video-conference on the occasion of the 5th National Ayurveda day. The institutions are future-ready and premier institutions of Ayurveda in India. While the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (Itra), Jamnagar has been conferred the status of an Institution of National Importance (INI) by an Act of Parliament, the National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA) is an institution deemed to be a university.
According to The Times of India, during the same event, the WHO Director-general said that this traditional new centre would support WHO's efforts to set up its indigenous medicinal strategy 2014-2023. Calling it a matter of immense pride, PM Modi said, "Ayurveda is not just an alternative today but is one of the key basis of the country's health policy." He further added that, during the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, demand for ayurvedic products had increased rapidly all over the world and exports rose by about 45% in September against the last year. Modi also said that while India is rapidly testing vaccines and researching upon the same, it is also increasing international cooperation and partnership on ayurvedic research to fight COVID-19. He further mentioned that Ayurveda is India's heritage, and its growth would contain the key to the welfare of humanity and every Indian would be proud to witness the development of the traditional medicinal knowledge and system. Concluding his speech, he said, "I am confident that just like India has emerged as the pharmacy of the world, in the same manner, this centre for traditional medicine will become the centre for global wellness."
(Sources: Times of India, Indian express, The Tribune, The New Indian Express)
Edited by: Suditi Jha