The Ministry Of Indigenous Medicine.

 

The Ministry of Indigenous Medicine was established on 14.02.1980 to fast track therevival of the ayurvedic medical practice and by today it has passed three decades of fruitful existence. Since the granting of cabinet status to the portfolio of Indigenous Medicine from 1994 has further boosted this process. In 1977, there existed only 10 Ayurvedic Hospitals and central dispensaries in the island. Today it has jumped to 270 and are scattered across the country as 62 Ayurvedic hospitals and 208 central dispensaries. Over 3 million people seek treatmentat these hospitals annually. In government ayurvedic hospitals there are about 1424 physicians and the 62 ayurvedic hospitals offer residential curative services tonearly 25,00 patients per year.

In addition, there are 230 dispensaries administered by local government authorities which offer services free of charge to a large number people. Though they are administered by the local government bodies, the responsibility of providing them with required drugs is vested with the Ministry of Indigenous Medicine and the Sri Lanka Ayurveda Drug Corporation. The Provincial Departments of Ayurveda are also involved in this process by way of coordination. On the whole, out of the total population of 19.7 million in the country, about 11 percent seek treatment at government operated Ayurvedic Hospitals.  In addition to the 1424 Ayurveda medical practitioners employed by the government these hospitals, there are about 20,000 registered traditional medical practitioners in the island. In the year 2009, 325 Community Health Officers were deployed across the island to implement disease prevention programs and 325 Assistant Ayurveda Medical Officers were also deployed to assist them.

The future plans of the Ministry have been designed with the following two main objectives.

1. Making the maximum use of the inclination towards local medical practice in locally and globally, contributing to the development of national economy.
2. Taking action to create a healthy nation by making optimum use of the nationally available physical, human and other resources as functions of the ministry.

• Policy planning and programme implementation regarding indigenous medicine.
• Developing the Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani  medical systems.
• Importing, marketing and distribution of raw and finished medicine required for Ayurveda,  Siddha, Unani and Homeopathy medical systems.
• Regulating the import of medicinal herbs and prepared medicine for Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medicine.
• Promoting the cultivation of herbs and extension activities associated with it.
• Maintaining and promoting the Ayurveda Research  Institute, Training Institute and Research  Herbal gardens.
• Registering and regulating the professional standards of Ayurveda Medical Practitioners and Ayurveda para medical personnel.
• Activities of Ayurveda Medical Council. Ayurveda Colleges and Hospital Boards.
• Regulating the activities of the Ayurveda medicine producers.
• Developing and regulating the use of the Homeopathy Medical System.
• Establishing Ayurveda Hospitals and administering them.

 

In executing these functions, the Department of Ayurveda and the Sri Lanka Ayurvedic Drug Corporation play a prominent role.