'Medicinal plants and medical products' confab in Colombo from December 19 to 21:

Over 400 academics to participate in international conference

Waruna PADMASIRI

Over 400 academics from India, China, Japan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Taiwan, Malaysia and America, apart from Sri Lanka, are expected to attend the the third international conference on 'Medicinal plants and medical products' which will be held in Colombo from December 19 to 21. Over 200 scientific research papers will be presented at the conference to be held at the Colombo University's Institute of Indigenous Medical Science.

The international conference is being held in Sri Lanka for the first time on the invitation of Colombo University Vice Chancellor Prof Shanika Himburugama. The two previous conferences were held in India. The indigenous medical fraternity and the western medical fraternity in Sri Lanka are working jointly to organise the event. The conference is jointly organised by the Institute of Indigenous Medicine and the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Colombo and the Thirupathi Shri Venkateshvaran University of India.

Senior lecturer at the Institute of Indigenous Medicine, Dr Nimal Kanakaratne said that the conference is expected to bring a number of benefits to the indigenous medicine industry in Sri Lanka.

The conference will have the dual benefit of taking Sri Lanka's medical and scientific knowledge to the world while bringing new technologies and research methods to the country.

The conference is just one in a series of steps being taken by the Institute of Indigenous Medicine that will help to commercialize and market indigenous medicines and medical knowledge. Sri Lanka's rich bio-diversity offers a large number of medicinal plants that can be used to cure some serious illnesses affecting millions of people around the world.

Institute of Indigenous Medicine director Prof Dr R A Jayasinghe said that taking Sri Lanka's indigenous medical knowledge to the world is an important step in realising President Mahinda Rajapaksa's 'knowledge hub' concept.

The 'Ayurveda Medical Science Exhibition' will be held alongside the conference showcasing over 100 exhibits including Ayurveda beauty culture and medical products, treatment techniques, medicinal plants, spa treatment and snake antivenin.

Indigenous medical techniques from China and India, including acupuncture and yoga will also be showcased at the event. The exhibition will provide an opportunity to the public to become familiar with indigenous medical treatment.

The exhibition is organised by the students of the Institute of Indigenous Medicine at the Colombo University with the assistance of the faculty. The exhibition will be held between December 19 and 21 at the Institute of Indigenous Medicine, Rajagiriya. Entry to the exhibition will be free of charge for students.