Suriname and India want to launch Ayurveda course at Adek

The Surinamese government and India reportedly want to introduce a course in Ayurveda at the Anton de Kom (Adek) State University. “Suriname asked for it and we responded. There have already been various talks with the vice president and the minister of Health. A memorandum of understanding is being drawn up and it will be signed by both countries,” Mahender Singh Kanyal, the ambassador of India to Suriname, told Times of Suriname. This year the Ayurveda Day was celebrated for the third time in Suriname. Arackel Raghu, the Joint Advisor of the Ministry of Ayush in India, reportedly gave a few lectures in Suriname recently to promote Ayurveda.

The Ministry of Ayush was formed on 9th November 2014 to ensure the optimal development and propagation of Ayush systems of health care.

“Suriname has much potential for Ayurveda because many of the ingredients that are needed for the traditional medicine can be found in Suriname. Once the Ayurveda course is introduced at the state university many students who want to study medicine will have another alternative especially given the fact that only 60 students are enrolled annually at the Medical Faculty of the university. India wants to help Suriname with the implementation of Ayurveda as a traditional medicine and which is older than 5,000 years. “It is up to Suriname to decide at which level and how it wants to develop it further,” said Raghu. “India is ready to help Suriname in whatever form. We know to what extent Ayurveda can help to treat chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. It is up to the government of Suriname to indicate how it wants to approach this. Hopefully the MOU is signed soon so that both countries can start collaborating,” said the ambassador.