Full fledged National Ayurveda Teaching Hospital in the offing -Director IIM

by Naalir Jamaldeen

Dr. M.W.S.J. Kumari

Dr. A.H.M. Mawjood

Dr. Pushpa Kulanatha

"The Institute of Indigenous Medicine (IIM) has launched a program to preserve Ola Leaves and medicinal books of our forefathers. Invaluable Ola Leaves and medicinal books which depict the ancient medical history of this country are being slowly and steadily destroyed. It is high time to protect and preserve these invaluable books. Those who have ancient Ola Leaves or medicinal books are requested to donate them to the library of the IIM for preservation.

"A team of experts have already started re-writing the hand-written medicinal books", Acting Director of IIM, University of Colombo Dr. M.W.S.J. Kumari said in an interview with the Sunday Observer.

She said that indigenous medical system yet has not been added to the national health system. Therefore, indigenous medical practitioners face immense difficulties in obtaining their rights. Making use of this opportunity fake doctors also enter the industry. When this system is added to the national medical system, the indigenous medical practitioners will receive due recognition in the society similar to western or modern medical practitioners. Employment in the state sector is the next problem faced by the indigenous medical graduates (Siddha, Unani, Ayurvedic and Traditional). Nearly 200 indigenous medical graduates are waiting for employment for the past two to three years.

"The IIM has held discussions with various factions to improve the indigenous medical system of this country. We held discussions with Japanese and Russian delegations in the first quarter of this month. They have expressed their consent to conduct research specially in indigenous medicine and diagnostic procedures jointly with the IIM", Dr. Kumari said.

"The Government has identified five hubs to be developed including Education and Medicine. IIM contributes towards education (Siddha, Unani, Ayurveda and traditional medicine) and other types of medicine in various aspects. Traditional medicines is becoming popular in the West as well as the Middle East and Arab countries. It is only when we achieve excellence that we can market our medicine abroad. Every year, a large number of tourists who are interested in Ayurvedic treatment visit Sri Lanka.

Daruharidra

Bin Kohomba

Herb garden

Maintaining standards in the medical system is vital and it is only then that we can attract more foreigners towards this ystem. The development of the indigenous medical system has also been included in the future vision of "Mahinda Chinthana", Dr. Kumari said.

"We have introduced some optional subjects in the new syllabus. Courses are conducted in theEnglish Medium. The IIM is equipped with modern technology to cater to the future needs of the country", she said.

"Recently we held a discussion with the Higher Education Minister. The Minister appointed a committee to look into the needs of the indigenous medical system. We are preparing a draft to establish a fully fledged National Ayurveda Teaching Hospital. The final draft will be prepared within one month. The Ministers of Higher Education and Indigenous Medicine have agreed to submit a cabinet paper. Initial discussions have already been held", Dr. Kumari said.

"Facilities of the Ayurvedic Teaching Hospitals should be improved to upgrade the indigenous medical system. The Government has taken steps to facilitate this. We are working in collaboration with different Government organisations to achieve our goals", she said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Kumari said that the indigenous medicine system of Sri Lanka has a long history. Some people practise this system traditionally for generations. They are called paaramparika Vidyaas (traditional medical practitioners).

She said that those who practice the Ayurvedic medicine commercially must be registered in the Ayurvedic Medical Council (AMC). This mechanism will help to prevent the entrance of fake or bogus medical practitioners to the industry.

"Some practise indigenous medicine from generation to generation and have a traditional knowledge. This system is called "Paarampariya Maruttuwam (Traditional Medicine System) in theMuslim Community.

Ayurveda is close to people since the ancient days because it was the only available form of medicine in the country in the days gone by. Ayurvedic theory was based on phenomena such as Vatha, Pittha and Kapha" the Director said.

"In the case of the old generation traditional medical practitioners being registered with the AMC was not compulsory. But the new generation medical practitioners must register with the AMC", Dr. Kumari said.

Besides Dr. Kumari said that the AMC adds the name of registered medical practitioners on its website. The people can seek clearance whether a traditional medical practitioner is registered or not or qualified or unqualified before going for treatment. These mechanisms are useful to all medicinal systems.

"IIM is the only institution which produces Unani, Traditional and Ayurveda graduates under one umbrella. We want to be the pioneers in South Asia in Ayurveda, Unani, traditional medicines and allied sciences", she said.

"We have designed our syllabus in this manner to produce skilled graduates in indigenous medicine. This is also a means to preserve the indigenous medical system. At the same time we equip our scholars, students with the modern with medical sciences. The knowledge of modern medicine helps the indigenous medical practitioner to diagnose the disease more accurately and under accepted norms", Dr. Kumari said.

"We also teach modern technology to our student. IIM has introduced some optional subjects in its curriculum. Astrology is taught for first and second year. Principles of Astrology, functional foods and neutroceuticals, cultivation and propagation of medicinal plants, pharmacovigilance and drug safety, Ethnopharmacy, Ayurveda Beauty care, Medical Sociology, Health Management, Health Tourism, Yoga and meditation, Massage therapy, Aroma therapy, Introduction to Psychiatry, Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese medicine are among the optional subjects", she said.

Owing to these optional subjects, a subject for specialisation or post graduation can be selected easily by students. English and Information Technology have been made compulsory foundation subjects, she said.

The village is the native place of traditional medicines. Traditional medicine systems are still successfully practiced in villages for generations, according to the Director.

Dr. Kumari said that there is a considerable demand for yoga therapy, beauty therapy, ayurvedic and elder care.

"In Ayurveda, a variety of plant based medicines are used. Because ours is a tropical country, we have enough vegetation. There are minerals like copper, iron in Sri Lanka. Medicines from these minerals are produced using high tech Ayurveda", Dr. Kumari said.

"Certain medicine ise not available in Sri Lanka and are imported from India. There are better and suitable substitutes for certain kinds of medicines. For example we have Venivelgeta. and is a substitute for Daruharidra. Daruharidra is not available in Sri Lanka and has to import from India with high cost.

Bin Kohomba has the same quality of Kiratha. Kiratha is also imported from Nepal or India. One kilo Kiratha is sold at Rs. 7,000 in the market. But one kilo Bin Kohomba is sold at Rs. 2,000.

Katuwelbatu is also one of the expensive medicinal crops which grow in the dry zones very easily. Still we depend on imports for Ginger, Saffron etc. Our people are not keen to cultivate these kinds of crops.

If we cultivate medicinal plants, outflow of huge amount of money can be prevented and be used for research or other purposes. There are some medicinal gardens in Sri Lanka including Haldumulla, Kanneliya, and Navinna etc, We have to promote cultivation of medicinal plants", Dr. Kumari said.

"Because of unavailability certain kinds of medicine are imported, Unani medicines are imported from India and Pakistan. Due to shipping, duration of storage and other causes the quality of imported raw medicines cannot be assured", she said.

"Now people have started to focus attention towards Auyrvedic medicines. Sociologists, Botanists, Biochemists, Microbiologists, Chemists etc also pay attention towards this medical system. Ayurvedic medicines are not contraindicated with the life style.

Now the people in the world need natural things. People are ready to pay for natural things", she said.

"Chronicle disease has become a major problem in the country with the increase of agro-chemical use. It is high time to go for environment friendly approaches in the treatment process.

Ayurvedic medicines is used even for insecticide in agriculture. The Government is also keen in organic cultivation", Dr. Kumari said.

"By existence we had our own plants and medicines. That was called as Sinhala medicine. Ayurveda came from North India with the advent of Buddhism. The influence of Chinese medicine was also in our medicine system. We were introduced Acupuncture (Katuchikitsaawa). Unani medicines came from Greece, Arabic Peninsula and the middle part of India. Siddha medicine came from South India.

We also had our own medicine. King Buddhadasa practiced our own medicine. King Rawana practiced this medicine and had written many books such as Arkaprakashaya, Kumarathantraya, Uddisthantraya. King Rawana was a good pediatrician. He also used pulse diagnosis (Naadi Vedakama)", Dr. Kumari said.

The First National Symposium of Native Medicine (NSNM) will be held on 19th and 20th of this month at IIM auditorium. A large number of traditional medical practitioners who speak mainly in Tamil will participate.

On June 28 and 29 th we held 1st National Symposium on Sri Lankan Traditional medicines targeting the Sinhala speaking Traditional practitioners, Head of the Unani section Dr. A.H.M. Mawjood said.

He said that this symposium will provide an opportunity to present their creations in Tamil. The symposium will useful for Ayurveda and Unani doctors who do researches on Unani and Traditional Medicines and drugs. This kind of national symposiums will provide a stage to expose their abilities.

The ways and means to develop the traditional medicine system of Sri Lanka was discussed during the last symposium and this one too.

"Traditional medicine of this country has a history over thousand years. Our Institute is old than 80 years. We have also added the knowledge of traditional medical practitioners to our courses.

We have taken such kind of steps to protect the traditional medicine. The courses of Ayurveda section has been modified in the manner to get the knowledge of traditional medical practitioners and to train the students about their disciplines" Dr. Pushpa Kulanatha, Acting Head of Ayurveda section of IIM said.

She said that the attitude of students should be developed. We have introduced certain programs to develop the attitude of students to become a quality doctor. We also hope to develop the humanity of students while developing their skills.

"We aim to produce a medical graduate who fit locally as well as globally", The Acting Director Dr. Kumari said.