IndiaPost.com - Ayurveda symbolizes best of India's traditions: Narayanan

COIMBATORE: Ayurveda symbolized the best of India's traditions for many people in the outside world and was seen as a relief from the regimen of allopathic system of medicine, M K Narayanan, National Security Advisor, said here.

"Intrinsic to the new-found love for India among various countries was not mere growth rates or that we have a most inclusive society, or that we have a huge reservoir of highly trained people," Narayanan said while speaking at an international Ayurvedic convention.

Indians are praised across the globe for what we have given to the world - fresh hope through the medium of Ayurveda, he said. Ayurveda offered hope for incurable diseases and has few, if any, side effects, he said, adding that it was safe and above all it has an answer for diseases that other systems of medicine cannot cure, he said.

Conveying the message of Union Health Minister, Anbumani Ramdoss to the convention, Narayanan said India has a certain comparative advantage in traditional medicine, and could take full advantage of the global resurgence of interest in complementary and alternative medicines.

Ayurveda, along with other traditional system like Siddha and Unani have proven strengths in prevention and management of chronic lifestyle-related, non-communicable diseases and diseases for which there were not effective drugs in the modern system of medicine, Narayanan said.

Department of AYUSH has been set up to provide focused attention to the development of education and research and ensure optimum utilization by bringing these systems into the mainstream and gainfully utilize the vast resources, including manpower, which existed in this sector, towards enhancing the outreach of the health care system and meet the unmet health needs of India's population, he said.

AYUSH was determined to lay maximum emphasis on upgradation of educational institutions, quality control, standardization of drugs, promote sustainability of raw materials and greater availability of medicinal plants through conservation, cultivation, research and development and generate an awareness about the efficacy of these systems domestically and internationally, Anbumani has said.