Equal status for indigenous, Western medical practices in Lanka - deputy minister

Higher Education Deputy Minister Nandimithra Ekanayake briefed international medical professionals in the United States on the steps taken by the government to advance professionalism in the field of indigenous medicine in Sri Lanka.

Deputy Minister Nandimithra Ekanayake

The minister highlighted that the policy derived from Mahinda Chintana, has given equal importance to both Western and indigenous medical sectors.

He explained how ensuing programmes to expand research facilities and treatment centers, promote ayurvedic medicine among tourists, support medical plant cultivations and also those aimed at human capital development such as introduction of better pay scales and pension programmes have reinvigorated the indigenous medical sector.

Minister Ekanayake made these remarks at the Fourth International Conference on Medicinal Plants and Herbal Products at Johns Hopkins University Montgomery County Campus, Rockville last week. The minister pointed out the necessity to develop new knowledge in the field through research work.

“I would like to stress, even though Sri Lanka and India are having fully equipped research institutions for indigenous medicine , the outcome is very minimal. Most practitioners prescribed medicine based on the prescriptions from Ola leaf books written hundreds of years back. They never change a single item of herb given on these Ola leaf prescriptions,” he said.

“It is essential, especially in this scientific era, to attend to laboratory tests and research to improve the quality of these drugs and treatment,” he added. Deputy Minister Ekanayake was honoured with the Olive Life Sciences Merit of Excellence Award in recognition of his dedication, devotion and contributions globally for the promotion of ayurveda and medicinal plants education in Sri Lanka.

The conference was organised by George Washington University, USA in collaboration with University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, S.V. University, India, International Council for Medicinal and Aromatic plants (ICMAP),Biotechnology Center, USA, Embassy of India, Washington DC and Amarex Clinical Research, Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd, India.

The aim of the conference, held from September 6 to 8, was to provide a platform for eminent researchers, academicians, physicians, traditional medical practitioners, manufacturers and exporters of herbal products, representative of the corporate sector, marketing consultants and NGOs worldwide.

Led by Minister Ekanayake, the Sri Lankan delegation to the conference included Dr Udara Attapattu, Dr R A R Susantha and Ramesh Joseph.

Ambassador Jaliya Wickrmasuriya met the delegation at the Sri Lanka embassy in Washington DC on September 7 to discuss initiatives to be taken to promote Sri Lankan indigenous medicine in the United States.