The four-day global convention on Ayurveda, beginning at Coimbatore on August 21, will evolve strategies for integrating Ayurveda in the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and prepare a mission document for globalization of the ancient science. Efforts were on to formulate guidelines to offer Ayurveda treatment in its purest form and come out with strategies for integrating Ayurveda in the NRHM, Dr P Ram Manohar, secretary general of the scientific session of the conference told a press meet in Kochi.

World over the population of the aged is on the rise and the department of Ayush under the Health Ministry has identified geriatrics as a priority area, he said.

The conference, to be inaugurated by former president Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, also aims at coming out with a blueprint for setting up a national centre for geriatrics. The centre is to be set up at the national institute of Ayurveda at Jaipur. The Arya Vaidya Pharmacy ltd (AVP)’s geriatrics unit at Coimbatore would be upgraded to collaborate with the Jaipur institute.

Metabolic disorders and nutrition are the other two areas which the conference will focus on, he said. The deliberations will address the relevance of Ayurveda in addressing these critical areas of health care, Dr K G Ravindran, medical director avp, Coimbatore, said.

The conference is being held as a culmination of the year long centenary celebrations of renowned Ayurveda physician and founder of Coimbatore A.V.P. Arya Vaidyan P V Rama Varier. The conference will also prepare a vision document for globalization of Ayurveda. Around 110 scholars from India and abroad will address the sessions in which about 2500 delegates, including 300 from abroad are expected to participate.

» Read more: Four-day Global Convention on Ayurveda from August 21