Ayurvedic treatment has won confidence of people

Dehiowita special correspond

Our people are very much attached to ayurvedic treatment. This treatment blended with our culture, has won the trust of the people. Amidst the introduction of modern treatment methods our people gather at Ayurvedic hospitals in their hundreds to obtain treatment.

Therefore, it is incumbent on our part to develop the ayurvedic treatment structure. This was stated by Sabaragamuwa Chief Minister Maheepala Herath who is also the Health and Indigenous Medicine Minister when he visited the Ratnapura Pussella Ayurvedic hospital and the Embilipitiya Ayurvedic hospital recently.

At the Pussela ayurvedic hospital the minister noted the dearth of nurses and minor employees. There are two wards in this hospital and the building counts more than one hundred years. It is recorded that over 5,000 out-patients obtained treatment during last year. It has a land area of five acres transformed into a herbal garden. According to Sabaragamuwa Ayurvedic Commissioner Nalani Amarasinghe the hospital was able to obtain a profit of ten lakhs of rupees in the past year by way of herbal production. The Chief Minister instructed the Provincial Health Secretary K. A. S. Keeragala to make arrangements to put up new buildings and repair and renovate all the existing buildings by 2013. It was also decided to take over the Ayurvedic eatery built by the Provincial Council which has now been rented out. This eatery was opened to popularize national food items to the public.

The Chief Minister said that officials should not succumb to financial and administrative regulations but to the welfare of the people. PC Members Salitha Karunaratna, Naminda Anurapriya, Kuruwita PS Chairman Premaratne Malkekula also participated on the occasion.