Shillong, Oct 10 (FN Agency) Union Minister of AYUSH, Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday said the medicinal plants available in the North Eastern States would be included in the study arena to scientifically validate the medical properties. “Traditional medicines have been used for ages and these medicines were used even to combat pandemics much before the advent of allopathic medicine,” Sonowal told reporters. “The North Eastern States are rich in flora and the people of the region should invest their time to recognize these wonders of nature for the benefit of humankind,” he said. The Union minister was held a review meeting of the North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda and Homeopathy (NEIAH) at Umiam.
“We will bring the medicinal plants into our study arena and after their findings and scientific validation, medicines would be manufactured to treat and prevent different diseases,” the AYUSH minister said. “The best education in Ayurveda nursing and pharmacy as well as professional short term courses in Panchkarma Therapy so that students from North East and from other parts of the country can avail it,” Sonowal said. He stressed on training world class manpower who will be able to drive the economic growth. “There is a major opportunity for AYUSH based industries to look at northeast as the next destination for their new units. The world class professionals trained at NEIAH and other important training centres under Ministry of AYUSH will complement the availability of the flora in the region to accelerate growth in the region,”Sonowal said. The Union minister said that the Central government remains committed to make northeast the ‘growth engine’ of India. In this regard, he highlighted the rich and dynamic flora that nature has bestowed on the region.
Stating that there are several plant species available in the region, Sonowal urged the people to help identify these for the benefit of the people. “Concentrate on herbal and medicinal plantation and protect the nature for the benefit of people,” he said. On being asked about the incentives for traditional healers present in Meghalaya, Sonowal said, they should coordinate with NEIAH. “These traditional healers and the institute should work together. There is tremendous value available here and this has to be researched scientifically so that evidences could be found and presented to convince the world,” he said about medicinal plants and traditional medicines. Sonowal also announced that Post Graduation classes would begin at NEIAH and said that the requisite infrastructure necessary for this would be created at the earliest. He further also announced that the AYUSH ministry has decided to bring the stipend of Ayurveda interns at NEIAH at par with their counterpart at the National Institute of Ayurveda, Jaipur. Sonowal said that the AYUSH and Health and Family Welfare ministry are working together the objective of both are the same, which is to protect the lives of the people.