To be paid a monthly allowance: SP Governor

Ayurvedic physicians in S’gamuwa Province

Traditional Ayurvedic physicians in the Sabaragamuwa province will receive a monthly allowance from January next year.

At an evaluation workshop for Aryurvedic physicians in Ratnapura held on Wednesday Governor Niluka Ekanayake said about 800 Ayurvedic physicians were facing economic constraints for want of a permanent income.

She pointed out that President Maithripala Sirisena had implemented a programme at provincial level to boost indigenous medicine and uplift the living standards of Aryurvedic physicians all over the country. Ms. Ekanayake stressed the need to help traditional Ayurvedic physicians by paying them an allowance to carry out their profession. The governor said physical and human resources in the Ayurvedic sector in Ratnapura and Kegalle District were being developed under the President’s programme.

A booklet containing guidelines to identify medicinal plants was donated to the Ayurvedic physicians attending the workshop.

Several senior officials including Chief Secretary Herath P. Kularatne, Senior Assistant Secretary Susila Rajapakse, Provincial Commissioner of Ayurveda, Douglas Pathirage were present at the workshop.