An integration of traditional and modern medicines is the need of the hour to cater to emerging healthcare concerns, participants at the two-day Global Ayurveda Summit and the Kerala Health Tourism 2023 meet that concluded on Friday at Angamaly said.
It was organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Speaking at the summit, A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish, Principal Secretary, Ayush department said that a holistic approach rather than viewing the different medical systems in a fragmented manner, was the need of the hour. Plants, animals, and humans are all interconnected and one should adopt a larger perspective about treatment and wellness, he added.
Former diplomat Venu Rajamony said it is ideal if the various medical streams can understand a patient’s condition and provide the best possible solution. It was common in China for medical professionals to suggest both modern medicine and traditional Chinese medicine to patients. We have convinced our diaspora about Ayurveda; now we need to take it to the mainstream in the West and elsewhere, he said and proposed setting up of at least one holistic treatment centre in Kerala at the initiative of the State Government.
Dr. E.T. Neelakantan Mooss, Managing Director, Vaidyaratnam group, pointed out that India was in a respectable 10th position in the medical value travel (MVT) segment, and that Kerala was witnessing a robust 25-30 per cent growth, adding that one area of concern was the shortage of quality manpower.
Chairing a session on Sustainable Innovation in Healthcare C. Padmakumar Special Officer Kerala Medical Technology Consortium, drew attention to the problem of high levels of plastic usage in the healthcare sector that contributed to nearly 10 per cent of the plastic material consumption in the world. Natural rubber and coir in Kerala could be tapped as good resources for developing alternative materials in medical devices, he added.
