Kochi, Nov 04: Magsaysay award winner and renowned crusader against commercialisation of health care Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury today called for synenergising Allopathy and Ayurveda, which he said, would enable people living in poor countries to have access to quality health care. Dr Chowdhury, who is the coordinator of Dhaka-based 'Gonoshasthaya Kendra' project and is participating in the World Ayurveda Congress, told reporters that while Ayurveda drugs were being promoted, its basic philosophy that it should be available to all was being forgotten. "Science without a soul is a devil. It is dangerous for any nation", he said.
Recounting his experiences in Bangladesh, Dr Chowdhury said 60 per cent of children in the country were malnourished, 25 per cent of the total population could not get proper medical care, and often people had to sell their cows and homes to get medicines.

Only about one to three per cent of funds were being set apart for Ayurveda and traditional systems of medicine in the national budget of Bangladesh, which was 'extremely' meagre, he said.



On the controversy that the Ayurveda Congress had been 'saffronised' by organising yagnas, he said Ayurveda does not belong to any particular religion.



He said commercialisation was a wrong way of promoting Ayurveda products.



He also claimed that herbal medicines for improving complexion were indirectly promoting racism.



Bureau Report