Kochi: Kerala will become the first complete Ayurveda accessible state in the next two weeks, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said here on Thursday.
The Cabinet has already given the nod to start Ayurveda clinics in government hospitals in 25 panchayats, and five more panchayats would be covered in the next two weeks, Chandy said in his inaugural address at the Global Ayurveda festival.
Ayurveda will need a `Kerala model` of development to reach greater heights, he said, adding that government would encourage more Ayurveda treatment centres, practitioners and production of medicinal plants.
Mauritius President Rajkeswur Purryag, the chief guest, had to wait for a while for the Chief Minister, who had a busy schedule attending functions at Kalady and Aluva, to arrive.
State Health Minister V S Sivakumar said that in the past Ayurveda had served as an alternative medicine for many incurable diseases. By 2020, Ayurveda would reach greater heights by foraying to genomics and nanotechnology. The government will support such efforts, he said.
Sivakumar earlier inaugurated the Ayurveda Expo, organised as part of the meet. State Ports minister K Babu declared the Multi Specialty Free Ayurvedic Clinic at the venue open.
Doyens of Ayurveda Padmasri P R Krishnakumar, V G Devadas Namboothirippad, Sankaramangalam V S Parameswaran Nair and Avanaparambu Maheswaran Namboothiri were honoured at the event.
A book on Ayurvedic Medicinal plants, authored by Acharya Balakrishna, MD, Patanjali, and another one titled Thirummu Chikilsayude naalvazhikal by Late Shri K A Chandrasekharan Nair were released at the function.
