Foreign delegates attending the International Cooperation Conclave at the fifth Global Ayurveda Festival (GAF 2023) here have called for steps to share expertise and promote mutual cooperation with an open approach to traditional medicines.
Inaugurating the conclave, Gaya Kanchana, Secretary of State Minister of Indigenous Medicine, Sri Lanka, said his country was ready to join hands with India for research and development in the field of traditional medicine as well as Ayurveda.
Mr Kanchana, who is also MD of Ayurveda Drug Corporation, invited pharmaceutical companies in the sector to explore the indigenous pharma market in Sri Lanka. He said the government would extend all facilities for drug factories and Ayurveda hospitals in the island nation. Lauding India for leading the innovations in traditional medicine, he said evidence-based research was needed to carry Ayurveda into the modern world.
Peter Hobwani, Deputy to Ambassador, Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe, said the challenge in Africa was to develop traditional medicine and let it come to the mainstream of medical treatment. According to him, Ayush is increasingly becoming the future of medicine and Zimbabwe has recognized the leadership of India in this sector.
Noting the importance of cooperation and exchanges of doctors, Lasha Japaridze, Charge d’affaires, Embassy of Georgia, said India had made major strides in the development of traditional medicines. “We have established direct cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. An MoU on cooperation in this field is under consideration,” he said.
Dr. G. G. Gangadharan, GAF Working Chairman, and Dr P. M. Varier, managing trustee, Aryavaidyashala, Kottakkal, were also present.
In a session on ‘Regulatory Aspects in Different Countries,’ Dr. Charles Elie Nicollerat, president, Federation of Medicine and Therapy in Ayurveda FMTA, Chancellor, SwissMed School, said Switzerland, which officially recognized Ayurveda in 2009, was the only country where Ayurveda and complementary medicines were rooted in the constitutional system.
Dr Nicollerat said India could contribute to the world with Ayurveda and Switzerland could be considered as a gateway for Ayurveda to Europe. “All Swiss regulatory achievements are compatible to our following of Ayush and WHO guidelines. “
Observing that Ayurveda is a growing phenomenon in Western world, Dr. Dilip Ghosh, of Nutriconnect, Australia, said the projected global market for herbal medicines is $120 billion in 2023 and the current valuation of Indian herbal market is ₹50 billion ($660 million), showing an annual growth of about 14%.
