Hundreds of Ayush Dispensaries Are Coming up in Northeast Region

GUWAHATI: Northeast India is getting 100 new Ayush dispensaries and 1000 health & wellness centers under the National Ayush Mission as an initiative to promote traditional medicinal practices in the region, surrounded by foreign nations like Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet (China), Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Addressing a conference of health ministers of all north-eastern States, Union Ayush minister Sarbananda Sonowal also added that rupees 70 crore financial provision has been made for a new Ayurvedic college hospital at Dudhnoi and financial grant of rupees 10 crore is sanctioned for the Ayurvedic college hospital at Jalukbari to get it developed as a center of excellence.

Organized for the first time by the Ayush ministry in the city on 28 August 2021 to discuss how the Ayush system of medicines can be efficiently mainstreamed as a popular mode of healthcare in the land locked region, which is very rich in natural resources and traditional medicinal practices, the conference projected ample opportunities for the stakeholders to make the region as an Ayush hub in future.

“The health & wellness centers work with a holistic wellness model based on principles of Ayush systems of medicine. A total of 12,500 such centers are to be operationalized across the country by the Ayush ministry,” informed Sonowal, the former chief minister of Assam, who is also looking after Union ports, shipping & waterways ministry.

Speaking to the city-based media persons after the conference, Sonowal also added that under the same scheme financial aids have been earmarked for the new Ayurvedic college in Goalpara district of Assam and the only government Ayurvedic college at the outskirt of Guwahati with an aim to boost the education and training of Ayush medicinal experts.

He further informed that the national medicinal plants board (NMPB) would establish a facilitation center for processing of raw products in the region. North-eastern institute of Ayurveda and Homoeopathy (NEIAH) at Shillong is presently functioning as a national institute for Ayurvedic and Homoeopathic education, stated Sonowal.

Attending the conference, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma commented, “Ayush is our heritage and essentially linked to India’s civilization. Whatever way we contribute to the Ayush system, it will further enrich our civilization”.  He also added besides at Dudhnoi, another government Ayurvedic college hospital is coming up at Majuli river island of Brahmaputra.

Union deputy Ayush minister Munjpara Mahendrabhai Kalubhai, Assam health minister Keshab Mahanta, Sikkim health minister Mani Kumar Sarma, Nagaland health minister S Pangnyu Phom, central council for research in Ayurvedic sciences director general Dr N Srikanth, NMPB top official Shekhar Sanwal along with senior officials of north-eastern States were present on the occasion.