Protection of traditional wellness systems is important: Naik

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Traditional wellness systems like Ayurveda have a vital role to play in tackling health challenges and their scientific standardisation and protection are important, Union Minister of State for Ayush Shripad Yesso Naik said here today.

"A foresighted compromise between traditional and modern system is vital and in this context the protection and preservation of traditional knowledge is important", Naik said.

He was speaking after inaugurating the Traditional Innovation Kerala (TKIK) programme, seeking to "defend and protect" centuries old knowledge in Ayurveda and other indigenous wellness systems.

Of late, there had been a greater focus on non-communicable diseases and lifestyle health problems world over and preservation of traditional systems through scientific validation and standardisation is of utmost importance, he said.

Lauding Kerala's efforts in this direction as the first state to launch a project like TKIK, he said the Centre would provide all-out support to these initiatives.

Kerala Health Minister V S Sivakumar, MLA K Muraleedharan and senior officials of Ayush and Ayurveda Medical Education Department were also present at the event.