State to accord Ayurveda equal status with allopathy: Muraleedharan

Health Minister K. Muraleedharan has said the State government would ensure Ayurveda gets the same status and recognition as allopathy in the healthcare sector, and promised all necessary support for the traditional system to flourish without being sidelined.

He was speaking after inaugurating the Vaidyaratnam Founder’s Day celebrations in Ollur recently, held to mark the 29th death anniversary of Padma awardee Ashtavaidyan E T Neelakandhan Mooss, credited with pioneering contributions to Ayurvedic treatment, medicine manufacturing and medical education.

Mr. Muraleedharan pointed out that while the Centre’s AYUSH Ministry gives the traditional system institutional heft at the national level, Kerala has no equivalent set-up. The State is now mulling a dedicated AYUSH department, to be headed by an officer of Chief Secretary rank, to give Ayurveda the priority it deserves, he said. Other traditional systems such as Unani and naturopathy would also get a bigger push, he added.