Dehradun-The 10th World Ayurveda Congress and Arogya Expo 2024 got under way here today, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi affirming the government’s commitment to promoting the ancient Indian system of medicine which has the potential to strengthen the global healthcare system.
In his message read out at the inaugural function of the Congress, which is being attended by over 5500 delegates, including about 350 overseas delegates from 54 countries, Shri Modi said Ayurveda has the potential to strengthen the global healthcare systems as it focuses on providing “comprehensive remedies” to various health problems and lays equal emphasis on prevention, nutrition and mental health.
Shri Modi expressed the confidence that the four-day meet will expedite the promotion of Ayurveda at the global level and asked the delegates to come out with a new “blue print” for the purpose.
The Congress and the Expo are organized by the World Ayurveda Foundation, an initiative of Vijnana Bharti, Union Ministry of Ayush and Uttarakhand government.
Addressing the session, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ayush Shri Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav assured the delegates that Ayurveda will be taken to every nook and corner of the country and popularized overseas in close collaboration with the practitioners and manufacturers of herbal products.
Shri Dhami highlighted the crucial role of Ayurveda in dealing with pandemics during the outbreak of COVID-19. Ayurveda was found to be effective in successfully treating COVID patients from the very beginning of the pandemic, he noted.
Asserting that there is no doubt that the entire world has begun recognizing the importance of Ayurveda because of its holistic treatment approach, he said Uttarakhand is setting up 300 Ayurveda hospitals with 10/50 beds and has sought the central government’s approval for setting up a national level research institute. He appealed to the participants to popularize the English names of several herbs to promote the sale and help the needy to source it from the market.
Union Minister Jadhav said emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and telemedicine will be utilized for furthering the growth of Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (Ayush) which have already witnessed an eight-fold increase in the recent past.
As part of promotion of Ayush medicines, outlets selling only these medicines will be opened at the level of every town and city and the first such outlet was opened in Delhi in October this year, Shri Jadhav noted.
Ayush Secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha said proposals for an investment of 1.3 billion dollars are in the “firm pipeline.” The ministry’s ‘Prakriti Pariksha’ (Nature Test) programme has met with astounding success and this will help invention of new medicines.
Ravinath Raman, Uttarakhand’s Ayush Secretary, said the state has 300 Ayushman Arogya Kendras and more than 8000 camps have been held in schools to promote Ayurveda and herbs. He expressed the confidence that the Congress will take Ayurveda to greater heights.
Dr P.M. Varier, Chairman, National Organising Committee, 10th WAC, said the Congress has been shaping over the years the growth trajectory of the sector and is making all-out efforts to fully integrate Ayurveda into the mainstream of the healthcare system. As a result, Ayurveda is witnessing a growing resonance in the global healthcare system.