AROGYA - 2002 INAUGURATED
Shri Rajiv Pratap
Rudy, Minister of State for Commerce & Industry today inaugurated
a five-day exhibition of Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Siddha,
Unani & Homeopathy, Arogya – 2002. Inaugurating the exhibition,
he said that there was an urgent need to rediscover our age-old
systematic therapies told in the Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and other
traditional systems of healthcare and medicine. These systems
have great scope for widespread application in the present context
with modern medicines proving to be prohibitive in terms of cost
and having side effects.
Speaking on the occasion,
Secretary, Indian Systems of Medicine & Homeopathy (ISM&H),
Smt. Malti Sinha said that this time the department has given
emphasis to present the strides that the systems of Indian Medicine
in general and the Department and its subordinate establishments
in particular are making in the propagation, research & development,
globalisation and standardization and quality control of ISM&H
drugs.
Elaborating on the
efforts by the ISM department, she stated that ISM drug industry
is producing medicines worth Rs. 5000 crore. The export is worth
around Rs. 660 crore a year including raw drugs and plant based
products. International data shows that use of plant based drugs
has increased manifold in the countries like Germany, United Kingdom,
Netherlands, U.S.A., Hungary and Russia. According to an estimate,
India has about 20% share of the import of herbal products in
USA market. Hungary has recognized Ayurveda as a system of health
care and 40 Ayurveda products for human use and 14 veterinary
products are registered there for sale. Hungary has proposed to
start Ayurveda courses in three universities. Similar developments
are taking place in UK, Russia & South Africa. International
visits of Scientists, Traditional Medicine Experts and policy
makers to and from India have helped in dispelling doubts the
world has with regard to the philosophy, medicines and strengths
of ISM systems. Presently, domestic as well as foreign scientists,
doctors, historians and commercial people have shown phenomenal
interest in the Indian Systems of Medicine. The reason for the
present scenario of popularity of Ayurveda and Yoga is their potential
and inherent qualities to treat the disease holistically and naturally,
she said.
To support Ayurvedic,
Siddha, Unani drugs industry, ISM is launching a scheme to provide
assistance to the GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) units to
set up In-house Quality Control Laboratories. The department has
issued guidelines for Good Laboratory Practices, has given funds
to State Drug Testing Laboratories for their up-gradation, renovation
and modernisation. Notification has been issued to recognise private
drug testing laboratories for testing of raw material. State Governments
has been advised to take stern action against misleading and exaggerated
ASU drugs.
AROGYA – 2002 (December
11-15), a comprehensive exhibition on Indian medicine and healthcare
covers Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Unani, Yoga & Naturopathy, Herbal
Medicines, Food Supplement, Health & Fitness Systems, Health
Tourism Books & Publication, Siddha, Therapies – Herbal and
Panch Karma. The event is being organised by the ITPO with the
support of Department of ISM&H, Ministry of Health & Family
Welfare.
