Health and Ayurveda Minister, Dr. Rajiv Bindal, said that Rs. 2 crore would be spent for imparting training in production of medicinal & herbal plants to the farmers of Himachal Pradesh. He said that the various herbal plants which could not be sold earlier due to ban and now these had been brought under market scheme so that farmers could benefit by producing them.
Presiding over the review meeting of Ayurveda Department, Dr. Bindal said that under the able leadership of Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, the State Government was committed to provide better health care services to the people and added that main emphasis was also being laid for popularising ayurvedic system of medicines especially in rural areas of the State.
He said that during the review of working of Ayurveda Department, it was found that 1,03,257 patients were admitted in Ayurveda hospitals during 2008-09 as compared to 1,27,206 in 2009-10 which was 19 percent increase against previous year.
Health Minister said that under Panchkarma system of medicine 7211 patients and under ‘Kashar sutar’ 844 patients were benefitted so far. He said that at present 15 ayurvedic hospitals were providing Panchkarma facilities and nine ayurvedic institutes ‘Kashar Sutar’ System of medicines. He said that, however, in 2008 only six hospitals were providing ‘Panchkarma’ treatment and two ayurvedic institutes ‘Kashar Sutar’ medicines treatment to the people of the State.
Dr. Rajiv Bindal said that Ayurveda Nursing College would start functioning this year and admission in the college would start in September, 2010. He said that similarly admission in Ayurvedic pharmacy college would also start in the month September, 2010. He said that Centre of Excellence in ‘geriatric’ health care and centre of excellence in ‘Dravya Gun’ were being upgraded by spending Rs. 63 lakh on each hospital for construction of buildings, equipments and medicines. He said that construction works of 25 ayurvedic health centres buildings had been completed and added that construction works of remaining 25 buildings would be completed by the end of the year.
