All systems of treatment should coexist in the State and the health system should facilitate whichever course of treatment is best for the patient, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said.
Inaugurating the valedictory function of the first International AYUSH conclave here on Tuesday, the Chief Minister said that in many parts of the world, modern medicine and various others streams of traditional or alternative medicine had been coexisting peacefully. Patients should be able to choose whichever treatment system was best for their illness.
The government was keen on giving equal importance to promoting modern as well as various Indian systems of medicine. The focus should be on providing affordable and quality care, whichever treatment system the patient chose.
Mission Aardram had taken a lead in offering equitable and quality care to people at a time when the service sector was increasingly undergoing corporatisation, Mr. Vijayan said.
He said the International Ayurveda Research Institute, which would be launched soon, would focus on research in traditional medicine systems and preservation of ancient wisdom and knowledge of Ayurveda so that these could be utilised for improving people’s health.
Accent on quality
The Chief Minister, however, cautioned that while promoting traditional systems of medicine, especially Ayurveda, which attracted many foreign tourists to the State , the accent should be on providing quality care.
Health Minister K.K. Shylaja, Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar, O. Rajagopal, I. B. Satheesh, both MLAs, Principal Secretary (Health) Rajan Khobragade, and National Health Mission State Director Keshavendra Kumar were present.