The Centre has signed an MoU with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to make India’s traditional systems of medicine part of all WHO programmes. This was announced by Union minister of state for Ayush, Shripad Naik here on Monday.
Talking to reporters, the minister said the programmes would cover both research and treatment scheme undertaken by the WHO in different countries. This would also help in patenting of Indian traditional medicines and practices, said the minister.
The Centre would support setting up of 50-bed Ayurveda hospitals in all the districts across the country, the minister has announced.
The facilities at the Central Research Institute for Homoeopathya in Kottayam would be upgraded so that it would have the status of an international centre undertaking both research and treatment. “The Centre would be ready to invest whatever be the cost required for this,” the minister said. Naik also disclosed that an ayurvedic treatment centre was being set up at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.
The minister denied reports that the Centre was making Yoga education compulsory in schools and colleges. “Yoga has been introduced as an optional subject and those who do not want to study can opt out,” he clarified.
Source : TOI