LET'S DEVELOP AYURVEDIC MEDICINE AND SPREAD ACROSS THE WORLD

According to National Ayurvedic Medical Association, "Ayurveda is said to be an eternal science that first existed in the universal consciousness (Brahma) before it was passed from the creator to the ancient Indian mystics through meditation. The origins of Ayurveda stretch deep into antiquity..... Composed between 500 and 1000 BCE in an ancient form of Sanskrit, the Vedas celebrate the elements of life, especially fire, wind and water as well as Mother Earth and the plants and animals who dwell upon her. Many herbs, some now unknown and some still used in Ayurveda to this day, were originally described in the Vedas."

According to the Editors of  Encyclopedia Britannica, Ayurveda is a traditional system of Indian medicine. Ayurvedic medicine is an example of a well-organized system of traditional health care, both preventive and curative, that is widely practiced in parts of Asia.

At least for one third of Indian population Ayurveda is a major source of primary health care. When the Indian Medical Council was St up in 1971, standards were established for undergraduate and postgraduate education. It establishes suitable qualifications in Indian medicines and recognises  various forms of traditional practice including Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha.

While these are all the fundamentals of Ayurvedic Science, we may get into the realities of Ayurveda in India. We have about 182 BAM colleges in India offering 190 courses and studying thousands of students. There are over hundred numbers of major Ayurvedic medicines and allied products manufacturing companies in India. Hundreds of smaller units are also spread across almost all states of the country. Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Science has about 30 reserch centres cum institutes in the country. About 100 million dollars are the earning from  exports of Ayurvedic medicines. This comes to about 10% value of the entire Ayurvedic industry in India. While overall value of drugs and medicines exporting countries in 2014 was over $344 billion with an annual growth rate of about 8% we can find where Ayurveda is rated in the world market.

What we have seen above are the hard facts about Ayurvedic Science. While we talk high about our own medical science we do nothing practical to make this science useful to the entire humanity; not even our own people. Here arise a few questions. Do we want to conceal this science within the Vedas and Upanishads? Or we want to confine these medicines to the poor and illetrate? What for we maintain so many research and development firms? Can we make alternative Ayurvedic medicines for the most used Allopathic medicine? Can low cost Ayurvedic medicines replace the high cost Allopathic medicines? Can we make Ayurvedic alternative medicine for the existing Allopathic life saving medicine?

If we can do something let us do it now and make the Ayurvedic medicines familiar among the entire countries and make it trustworthy among the people. This can bring us lot of money. Let us not be adamant on fuel prices for the government revenue.

K V George

kvgeorgein@gmail.com