Ministry to conduct Ayurvedic clinics in UK

MATALE: The Indigenous Medicine Ministry will shortly organise Ayurveda Medical Clinics in London, UK for of British and Western citizens interested in the traditional ayurveda form of medicine who cannot come to Sri Lanka to seek treatment, said Indigenous Medicine Minister Tissa Karaliyadda.

The Minister was speaking at the opening of hela weda gedara (traditional Ayurveda home) at Pallepola, Matale recently.

The home manned by Ayurvedic Doctor N.G. Somadasa of Welemulla, Millawana can accommodate 10 residential (in-house) patients at a time.

The Minister said these clinics will be conducted in association with the London Buddhist Viharaya considering the increasing interest by Westerners to seek traditional Eastern treatment.

Karaliyadda said Ayur. Dr. Somadasa is an internationally famous native physician sought after by patients here and abroad.

The Hela Weda Gedara programme was initiated by his Ministry to help physicians of such calibre and conserve the traditional systems of native treatment in this country for the benefit of future generations.

There were reputed native Orthopaedic Physicians in the country who could not afford to provide residential treatment for patients due to lack of accommodation and funds.

This new system would help them continue their trade for the benefit of the people. His Ministry had also introduced a pension scheme for native physicians and more than 2,000 physicians had already obtained membership.

Several other welfare measures have also been initiated by his Ministry to preserve and foster the Guru Kula system of Ayurveda treatment.

Provincial Council and Local Government Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon promised all assistance to Karaliyadda in his efforts to boost the Ayurveda system.