Ayurveda’s qualities hailed
AYURVEDA has found a new champion in former Kenyan prime minister Raila Odinga, who wants the practice to find a home in his country.
Odinga has credited the millennia old traditional Indian form of medicine with a breakthrough in his daughter’s health and has called on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure it is introduced to Kenya.
Recently he posted several tweets in which he said his daughter Rosemary had consulted specialists in several countries after a brain tumour left her blind. However, it was only after undergoing treatment at the Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Eye Hospital in Kerala that she was able to see again.
“After three weeks of treatment, there was a substantial improvement in her eyesight. It was a big surprise for my family that our daughter could see almost everything,” he said in a Twitter conversation.
Odinga posted it was the use of traditional medicines that helped his daughter regain her vision and this gave his family confidence in the modality.
During one of his visits to Rosemary in India, he also met with Modi with whom he had developed a friendly relationship during his tenure as Kenyan prime minister.
“I have discussed with PM Modi to bring this treatment method (Ayurveda) to Africa and use our indigenous plants for therapeutics,” Odinga said.
Tamlyn Govender, an ayurvedic doctor from Pretoria said Ayurveda was a vast system which promoted wellness instead of illness. It was also eco-friendly because it advanced the use of natural resources.
“Our aim as Ayurvedic doctors is not for you to be on chronic medication for the rest of your life, but rather get to the root cause of the problems you have and treat them accordingly,” Govender said.
She said in Ayurveda, food was believed to be medicine, adding that a useful health tip for the public was to eat freshly cooked organic food and avoid that which was frozen, contained preservatives or artificial chemicals.
Louis Mullinder, the registrar at the Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa, said there were 10 doctors who were registered to practice Ayurveda in South Africa.
“To practise this profession without registration is a criminal offence and the only redress that the HPCSA has is to refer the matter to the law enforcement authorities,” Mullinder said.
He added there were no ayurveda courses in South Africa but those interested could study in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.