Govt. to advance traditional indigenous medicine and methods: President

President Maithripala Sirisena says the Government will provide all the facilities necessary for the advancement of Sri Lanka’s indigenous traditional medicine while giving due respect to the field.

President Sirisena said that even though traditional indigenous medicine methods had declined when people had turned towards speedy treatments with the development of the innovations and research into Western medicine using modern technology, Sri Lanka was historically a healthy nation because of its traditional indigenous medicine.

The President made these remarks while attending the inaugural ‘Tradmed International Sri Lanka 2017’ Educational Exhibition and Trade Fair on Traditional and Complementary Medicine, held at Water’s Edge, Battaramulla on 23 November.

Speaking at the event, the President added that such conferences should pay special attention to bringing indigenous medicine back into society while providing due respect to Ayurvedic physicians.

The conference, jointly organised by the Health Ministry, the World Health Organisation and the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, will conclude today at Water’s Edge.

The exhibition and trade fair will see the participation of 300-500 local and international exhibitors displaying their products and practices related to a wide range of plant-based drugs, supplements, nutraceuticals cosmetics and related products.

The international symposium will be a premier interdisciplinary platform to present and discuss the most recent research evidence and innovations as well as the concerns and practical challenges encountered with a panel of specially selected internationally and locally reputed researchers and practitioners of Traditional Medicine and Complementary Medicine.

Minister of Health Rajitha Senaratne, Minister Susil Premajayantha, Secretary to the Health Ministry Janaka Sugathadasa, Director General of Health Services Dr. Jayasundara Bandara, Vice-Chancellor of Sri Jayewardenepura University Prof. Sampath Amaratunga and the Regional Director of WHO South-East Asia Region Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh were among those present at the occasion.