Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, September 15, 2010:
Department of AYUSH, Union Ministry of Health and Family has given permission to open a 150-bedded AYUSH Hospital in Imphal, secretary (AYUSH) S Jalja of the ministry said today.
In a briefing to media persons today at the conference hall of Hotel Imphal, the secretary said that the Union ministry had given the permission to open the hospital considering availability of medicinal plants in plenty in the state and a fund amounting to Rs 10 crore has also been sanctioned for the purpose.
He further said that the ministry had already sanctioned another amount of Rs 10 crore for setting up set up an AYUSH college in the state.
Once the hospital and college are set up, it will promote cultivation of medicinal plants, raise the Pharmacopoeia standards in the state and can also begin treatment of patients with the system.
The only thing left for the state health and family welfare department is to acquire lands for installation of the hospital and college.
For allocation of land, officials of the department had a round of meeting with the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary and other official concerned.
The meeting also discussed the inclusion of a yoga programme in the AYUSH method of treatment, he said.
Health and family welfare department is considering the expansion of the AYUSH method of treatment across the state by setting up AYUSH based hospitals in every nine districts of the state.
A green signal from the government is awaited, AYUSH secretary, S Jalja added.
Government has already agreed in principle to set up a separate AYUSH department.
It is likely to be implemented into work at the earliest.
The government of India is aware that medicinal plants are available in plenty in the state and has been taking up various works for exploring the same in the last few years.
Apart of giving awareness to the people, an AYUSH based fair was also recently held in Imphal.
In addition to the AYUSH hospital and college, Central government has also asked the state government to prepare a detailed project proposal to at up a Homeopathy based hospital informing that the Centre was ready to provide funds to set up such a hospital in the state.
SK Sharma, ayurveda advisor and O Bala Prashad, CEO, National Medicinal Plant Board were also present in the media briefing.
The team from New Delhi, arrived here for a two day visit.
They left Imphal today for the national capital.