DEHRADUN: The 10th World Ayurveda Congress and AROGYA Expo began here on Thursday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserting that the ancient Indian system of medicine has the potential to strengthen the global healthcare systems.
In a message read out at the inaugural function of the event, Modi also reiterated the government’s commitment to promote Ayurveda.
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, the prime minister said.
Modi expressed 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 “blueprint” for the purpose.
The event is being attended by over 5,500 delegates, including about 350 overseas delegates from 54 countries.
Addressing the event, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the state government is working towards implementing the country’s “first” yoga policy.
It will play an important role in bringing about a new revolution in the field of health by bringing Ayurveda and yoga together on a big scale, he said.
Dhami described Uttarakhand as the land of Ayurveda and AYUSH since ancient times because of its herbal wealth.
Uttarakhand is the first Himalayan state where the event is being held.
Dhami thanked Prime Minister Modi for the event being organised in Dehradun. He said the presence of representatives from more than 50 countries and nearly 6,000 experts in the program and more than 250 stalls set up in the expo are giving evidence of the global acceptance of Ayurveda.
He expressed hope that the conference will create new opportunities for cooperation and business along with mutual knowledge sharing and promotion of various research works in the field of Ayurveda.
The state government has requested the Union Ministry of AYUSH to establish an All India Institute of Ayurveda in the state, which will prove to be a milestone in the field of Ayurveda education and research, Dhami said.
He also spoke about steps being taken by the state government to continuously promote Ayurveda.
Dhami said 300 AYUSH-based ‘Ayushman Arogya Kendras’ are being operated in the state, while AYUSH consultation is being given by more than 70 experts through the e-Sanjeevani portal.
He further said that 50-bed AYUSH hospitals are being set up in each district, while one village in each district is being established as a model AYUSH village to promote the production of Ayurvedic herbs.
The chief minister said the state government has implemented the ‘Ayush Policy’ to accelerate the production of AYUSH manufacturing, wellness, education, research and medicinal plants.
Along with this, the state government will start AYUSH tele-consultation in the coming years and set up 50 new yoga and wellness centres.
The chief minister requested the experts to promote the English names of herbs along with their Hindi names, which will facilitate the access of local herbs to the global market.
Union Minister of State for AYUSH (Independent Charge) Prataprao Jadhav said the initiatives taken in the field of AYUSH during the last 10 years have led to an eight-fold increase in the production of AYUSH products.
Now, AYUSH and herbal products are being exported to more than 150 countries of the world, he said.
The Union minister said that Ayurveda is also now moving forward by adopting the technology of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning tools.
Jadhav said the central government is trying to establish AYUSH medicine centres at district, tehsil and village level to make all the medicines of Ayurveda available under one roof.
The first such centre has been started in All India Institute of Ayurveda, Delhi. He said that with the opening of such centres across the country, AYUSH doctors will be able to easily prescribe Ayurvedic medicines to patients.
He said that the World Ayurveda Congress will prove to be a confluence of new ideas, ancient culture and innovations. (PTI)