SHILLONG: Meghalaya Government now plans big with the local herbs and take the local traditional healing system to the entire world.
A scientist from IIT Kanpur along with Health Minister, AL Hek on Friday met Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma and discussed about the entire plan.
Dr Mithu Baidya, the scientist from IIT Kanpur while speaking to reporters said that they want to take the local herbs to the next level as they want to extract the chemical compounds out of the herbs to manufacture modern benefits for everybody
He said that the local traditional healers in Meghalaya have the knowledge of the local herbs and will help them in identifying the herbs.
“If we can have a library of the local herbs here in future, we can have many medicines coming out of Meghalaya,” he said, adding that a committee will be set up by the Health department which will coordinate with the scientists for the project.
On the other hand, Health and Family Welfare Minister, AL Hek said that the Government is seriously looking into the idea of developing a library of herbs in future.
He said that the local herbs which were available here in Meghalaya, would be patented in consultation with the local healers and everyone would benefit, adding that more than 500 traditional healers in the state were already registered with the Government.
“We have the traditional art of treating ailments using traditional medicines which are found in abundance here and all we need to do is promote it and popularise it,” said Hek further adding that the state Government is keen to do so and is working out a long term plan to achieve it.
Highlighting the positive aspects of it, Hek said that this will pave the way for traditional healers in Meghalaya to improve their economic status and also help preserve the traditional way of healing besides boosting health tourism in the state
Earlier, Governor of Meghalaya, Tathagata Roy while attending the programme on scientific discussion of Indigenous System of Medicines had stressed on the need to promote the potential of the indigenous traditional medicinal plants of the State
It may be mentioned that more that 550 traditional healers have been trained by the Bio Resources Development Council an Institute of the State Government out of the 1800 traditional healers which have been registered and documented by the State Government.
In addition, other experts in the field of herbs like Dr. H. Bani, Khasi healers, Thomas Iangjuh, Jr. Scientist Bio Resource Development Centre, Dr. Pradeep Joyti, CMD Vasudeva Kerala, Dr. Arun Shukhla, Prof. Engineering & Bio-Sciences, IIT Kanpur are also working in the project.
It may be mentioned that Meghalaya Government in the last few weeks have been stressing a lot to promote local indigenous medicines. A Health and wellness centre was also inaugurated at Golf Links.