Institute of Indigenous Medicine organises international confab and AyuMedica exhibition:

Bringing Indigenous Medicine to the fore

By Ranil WIJAYAPALA

Ayurveda, an ancient healing system based on 5000 years of traditions in India and Sri Lanka has become one of the most discussed subjects in the field of medicine at present with Ayurvedic and other indigenous medicinal practices becoming increasingly popular among the masses and also at international level.

But commercialisation of Ayurveda herbal products, therapy methods without following guidelines and standards have raised concerns among the public and has created a bad impression about this ancient healing method.

Bringing international standards to indigenous medicine practices and drug manufacturing processes and also creating awareness among the public about this healing system has become an essential factor in the present context.

The Institute of Indigenous Medicine of the University of Colombo, is ready to fill the vacuum in the field of the indigenous medicine by organising two key events at the Institute this week to bring both local and international attention towards indigenous medicine practices in Sri Lanka.

"The Institute of Indigenous Medicine along with the University of Colombo for the first time in its sixty-year history the Institute along with the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Colombo is ready to host the third International Conference on Medicinal Plants and Herbal Products of Indigenous Medicine from December 19 to 22, Director, Institute of Indigenous Medicine, Dr. D Jayasinghe said.

The conference is organised by the University of Colombo, in collaboration with Sri Venkateswara University and will be Chaired by Prof. Kshanika Hirimburegama, Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo.

Prof. Sudarsanam Gudivada, General Secretary, Dr. R.A. Jayasinghe, Director, Institute of Indigenous Medicine, Prof. Rohan W. Jayasekara, Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Kamal Perera, Prof. Vajira Dissanayake and Prof. Gunapala Amarasinghe are in the organising committee of this international conference.

According to Dr. Jayasinghe this is the first time, the Faculty of Medicine and the Institute of Indigenous Medicine is jointly organising an international conference of this nature this conference of this nature under the directives of Vice Chancellor Prof. Kshanika Hirimburegama.

"Over 400 delegates from India, China, Japan, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia , America, Italy and Sri Lanka are expected to participate at this conference and 200 research papers will be presented at the conference by scientists and academics on medicinal plants and herbal products", he added.

Prof. Kshanika Hirimburegama who participated at the second conference in India got the organisers to agree to hold this conference in Sri Lanka this time.

According to Dr. Jayasinghe, the pre-conference symposium will be held on December 19 at the Institute of Indigenous Medicine auditorium and the inauguration of the conference will be held on the 19 evening at Waters Edge with the participation of Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayaka, Indigenous Medicine Minister Salinda Dissanayake, Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka and other distinguished guests.

"On day two they will participate at the scientific sessions. Since there are 300 delegates' research papers are to be presented and parallel sessions will be conducted at three different auditoriums of the Indigenous Medicine Institute", Dr. Jayasinghe added.

"One objective of this conference is to exchange the knowledge of international scientists, herbal product manufacturers, scientists and university academics,, drug manufacturers at one forum", he added.

The other objective is to exchange ideas about the use of herbal medicinal product and to popularise indigenous medicine methods among the public.

"For Sri Lanka this will be important as it would help us to take the Sri Lanka Indigenous Medicine system to international level, to make use of ancient indigenous medicine concepts combined with modern technology for the benefit of the indigenous medicine system in Sri Lanka", he added.

In addition this will be a unique opportunity for Sri Lanka to identify international level resource persons in the field of herbal products and also to introduce successful indigenous medicine systems in other countries to Sri Lanka.

"The research papers presented at the conference will later be published in a journal", Dr. Jayasinghe added.

"This will be a major step forward for the indigenous medicine sector, the Institute of Indigenous Medicine, the Colombo University and also for Sri Lanka", he said.

While the international conference is in progress, an Ayurvedic Medicine Exhibition 'AyuMedica' will also be held from December 19 to 22 at the Indigenous Medicine Institute, Rajagiriya.

"We are having this type of exhibition at the Indigenous Medicine Institute after a lapse of almost 50 years. We are going to have this exhibition with the participation of different Departments of the Indigenous Medicine Institute", Dr. Jayasinghe added.

All 750 students of the Indigenous Medicine Institute are participating at this exhibition with immense enthusiasm and were seen busy preparing their exhibition halls with the objective of giving the best knowledge about the indigenous medicine system to the public.

Different Divisions in the Institute will have different sections under the subjects of Moulika Siddantha, Dravya Guna Vijnana, Sharere Vignana, Swasthavritha Agada, Shalya Shalakya, Prasuti Tantra Kaumarabrithya, Nidana Chikithsa and Deshiya Chikithsa at the exhibition.

"The University of Colombo is providing us the basic financial requirement for the exhibition", he added.

"The objective of the exhibition is to introduce Ayurveda Medicine system to the people of this country as people are not aware of importance of the Ayurvedic medicine and they only follow the Ayurveda medicinal products based on commercial value", .

"We have to do this as people are being misled about ayurvedic products by many drug producers and in the time to come they will lose their faith on Ayurvedic products and also about Ayurvedic medicine systems.

So it is our responsibility to educate them about true Ayurvedic products and the proper way of using these products", Dr. Jayasinghe added.

"Another objective of this exhibition is to educate the student population in this country and popularise Ayurvedic medicine among students since they are the ones who will join us in the future.

"This will also be a very good opportunity for students of Indigenous Medicine Institute to exhibit their talent and help us to bridge the gap between students and lecturers of the Institute", he added.

The Indigenous Medicine Student Union is organising this exhibition and the exhibition will be open to the public from 9 am to 9 pm. Rs.50 will be charged as entrance fee.

"We are expecting at least 15,000 people daily at the exhibition," he added.

Prof. Gunapala Amarasinghe said during the exhibition Ayurvedic clinics will be conducted for the public. People will also get the opportunity to learn about Yoga methods which is a part of Ayurveda medicine.

"We are giving priority to disseminate knowledge to the public about herbal plants and how to identify them and how to grow them. People will also have an opportunity to learn about Ayurvedic beauty culture methods and pancha karma treatments at the exhibition and the proper way of doing them", he added. "What we want is to convince people that pancha karma treatments are scientific therapy methods as people make use of therapy methods only for commercial use and exhibiting it as sex attractions", he added.

"We are introducing a preventive medicine system for people to have a better lifestyle as people go for medicine only after they fall ill", he added.

Professor Gunapala Amarasinghe also said that through the exhibition they will also educate the public about the nutrition and how they can avoid artificial food and make use of natural food. "We will also educate pregnant mothers how they should spend their time during their pregnancy to deliver a good and healthy baby. We will also introduce Ayurvedic treatment methods for different diseases of children," he said.

"We are trying to educate the public about the misconceptions

regarding the use of Ayurvedic medicine as there are misconceptions that they will get diseases like cirrhoses if they use arishta and asava", explaining further about the importance of exhibition Dr. Kamal Perera said.

"We have started the Ayurvedic Pharmacist course to maintain a standard in the Ayurvedic drug use like the way it happen in the western medicine. At this exhibition we are trying our best to educate the public about the proper way of using Ayurvedic drugs", he added.

"We invite the public for the exhibition to gain a knowledge about Ayurveda and clear their doubts about the indigenous medicine system through experts at this exhibition", he added.