With a view to promote alternative therapies in a big way in Orissa, the state government plans to set up nine new Unani hospitals and also strengthen the 22 AYUSH (Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) inspectorates in the state in this year.
“As many as 693 Ayurvedic hospitals, 560 Homeopathic clinics and nine Unani centres are already existent in the state. Furthermore, funds have been released for setting up of more AYUSH units in the state. In this year, nine new Unani hospitals will be set up and the 22 Ayush inspectorates would be strengthened ”, said state chief minister Naveen Patnaik.
“Providing affordable treatment is a necessity today and AYUSH is the most plausible solution at hand. The efforts made by the organizers to make people aware of alternative medicine and its various therapies as well as providing opportunities to their practitioners to interact with the public and showcase their achievements is commendable”, he added.
Patnaik pointed out that at least 1400 AYUSH doctors have been deployed in 314 blocks in the state where they can work along with the allopathic doctors.
The state chief minister on Tuesday inaugurated Arogya, the four-day health fair organized jointly by the Union ministry of health and family welfare, the ministry of health and family welfare of the Orissa government and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
Among the dignitaries present on the occasion were MP Prasanna Patasani, state health and family welfare secretary Anu Garg, state industries minister Raghunath Mohanty;
S K Panda, joint secretary, Union ministry of health and family welfare and R K Jena, vice chairman of CII's Orissa State Council.
More than 120 stalls have been set up at the expo where practitioners of Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Sidhdha and Homeopathy are also offering free treatment.
The exhibition intends to bring under its fold specialists of these unique healing practices and provide them a platform to interact with each other and also exhibit their products and achievements.
