India can become a world leader in holistic health via Ayurveda: PM Modi

Pitching strongly for greater use of traditional medicines and ayurveda, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has underlined that India can become a world leader in affordable and holistic healthcare. Speaking about the potential of healthcare in India, Mr Modi stressed that his government is committed to promoting traditional medicinal systems like Ayurveda which remain untapped due to inadequate scientific scrutiny and concerns regarding standards and quality.

Making a strong case for India’s traditional medicine Ayurveda, Mr Modi said it was relevant globally today because of its holistic and comprehensive approach to health.

Mr Modi said India would learn from the experience of other countries, especially China, which has put in place policies and regulations for promoting their traditional medicine. “If these issues are addressed properly, I am sure Ayurveda can provide solutions to many health problems. India can be a leader in making affordable, holistic healthcare available to the world,” he said.

Addressing the ‘Vision Conclave’ held as part of the five-day Global Ayurveda Festival in Kozhikode(Kerala) on February 2, he asserted that the Centre was committed to promoting traditional medicines to provide cheap and effective healthcare in the country. “We are committed to promoting the use of traditional medicine in our public health system through regulation of research and appropriate integration of quality products, practices and practitioners into the health system,” he said.
Mr Modi spoke about the initiatives being taken to address issues related to escalating treatment costs and side-effects of medicines.

Mr Modi also spoke about steps that were being taken to bring regulatory amendments for effective enforcement and strengthening the regulatory framework for AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) drugs at central and state levels.

Highlighting the initiatives that were being undertaken by the government, Mr Modi spoke about creating a vertical structure for AYUSH drugs in the Central Drug Standards Control Organisation. He also spoke about the steps being taken, including control over misleading advertisements and extension of financial support to states under the National AYUSH Mission for quality control activities.

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