Subra: Traditional medicine systems play role in healthcare

NEW DELHI: Malaysian Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S Subramaniam sees a role for traditional medicine systems in providing better healthcare to the people.

He said Malaysia had adopted a pragmatic approach in accommodating traditional medicine into the overall fold of its Healthy Ministry through the Traditional and Complementary Medicine Act.

“There is a need to integrate allopathic and traditional medicine into a seamless manner so that the benefits of both can be complementary to provide a holistic kind of treatment,” Subramaniam said during a discussion on healthcare at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas ( Indian Diaspora Day) in Bangalore.

The minister said some hospitals in Malaysia had adopted traditional treatments with India’s help. However, Malaysia does not recognise Ayurveda or other herbal products as medicines unless their claims to cure ailments are proven by extensive trials.

Subramaniam said this was a challenge for the Ayurveda practitioners to provide “rigorous scientific evidence” to win recognition for their products when definitive claims of medical benefits were made by them.

There is a new enthusiasm within the Indian government and among India’s top practitioners of Ayurveda and yoga to promote non allopathic systems of healing in other countries.

These efforts are led by the Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy).

EveryyeartheIndiangovernment offers 20 scholarships to Malaysians to pursue bachelor’s degree in Ayurveda and other traditional medicine systems, according to the High Commission of India in Kuala Lumpur. – Bernama