Sri Lanka is facing a growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension and cancer, and most of the cases suffered from these NCDs are preventable by controlling risk factors. Therefore, doctors practising traditional systems of medicine such as Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha must play a major role in changing people’s lifestyles, said Dr Parita Mahipala, Secretary, Ministry of Health.
The Health Secretary emphasised this while addressing as the chief guest a ceremony to award internship training appointments to 204 graduates of Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medicine at the Navinna Bandaranaike Memorial Ayurvedic Institute Auditorium in Maharagama on Monday (3rd).
These Ayurvedic graduates have completed five years of undergraduate courses at the School of Indigenous Medicine, University of Colombo, School of Indigenous Medicine, Gampahawickramarachchi University of Indigenous Medicine, School of Indigenous Medicine, University of Jaffna and School of Indigenous Medicine, Eastern University and will undergo one year of training under the full supervision of Ayurvedic experts and trained and experienced Ayurvedic doctors in 105 Central Government Ayurvedic Hospitals and State Council Ayurvedic Hospitals across India.
On successful completion of the training, the trainees will be registered with the Ayurvedic Medical Council as Ayurvedic doctors. The Ministry of Health will provide the trainees with a monthly training allowance of Rs 66,750. The Health Secretary said that he should be grateful to the government for allocating Rs 400 crore for the training. He said the Finance Ministry has agreed to provide the necessary funds for the training every year.
He said the remaining graduates are expected to be hired in August this year.
He said there are 105 Ayurvedic hospitals in the country and the graduates will be posted in these hospitals for internship training and this training is crucial for getting registration with the Ayurvedic Medical Council and they will get an opportunity to serve the needy and sick people of the country as Ayurvedic doctors.
Also present were Superintendent General of Ayurveda Dr Dhammika Abeygunawardena, Deputy Superintendent General Dr KV Atula, Director of National Institute of Indigenous Medical Sciences Wimal Chaturanga, Director of Bandaranaike Ayurvedic Institute P Hewagama and Secretary General of Ayurvedic Medical Council Ajith Kumar.
Ishara Mudugamuwa
