Mizzima News

New Delhi (Mizzima) - The World Health Organization’s (WHO) office in India on Saturday wrapped up six days of Ayurveda training for Burmese experts in traditional medicine in Varanasi in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

Professor KN Dwivedi, Head of the Dravyagun Department of the Institute of Medical Science of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi told Mizzima that the Ayurveda training was from October 26 to 31, and was attended by five Burmese traditional medicine experts.

“They [Burmese experts] came here to learn about various aspects of Indian indigenous medicines so that they can develop their own Burmese indigenous medicines,” Dwivedi said.

Dwivedi said faculties from the department provided subjects on the methodology of references in Ayurveda and in the field of herbal and herbo-mineral drugs. 

Aung Win, Rector of the University of Traditional Medicine in Mandalay, Burma’s second largest city, was among the five experts attending the training, Dwivedi added.

“Aung Win and other officials are very impressed with such development in Ayurvedic medicines adopted by India,” said Dwivedi, adding that they planned to discuss with the Health Ministry of Burma to send more experts and students to India for training on standardization and up gradation of traditional medicines.

According to the Burmese Health Ministry in WHO’s report in 2006, Burmese Traditional Medicine, is widely practiced by the majority in Burma partly as a supplement and an alternative to modern medicine.

The report compiled by the Health Ministry of Burma said, Burmese Traditional Medicine originated from neighbouring countries including India’s traditional medicine system. Later, it was enriched by Burmese tradition and adaptation.

In 2008, the Burmese military regime set up a national herbal park in Burma’s new capital of Naypyitaw to grow herbal and other medicinal plants.

The military government, in 2002, set up a University of Traditional Medicine in Mandalay.

According to WHO’s report, there are over 1,000 private traditional medicine manufacturers, which produce different varieties of traditional drugs in Burma in keeping with the Traditional Drug Law promulgated in 1996.

Dwivedi said there is a large potential market for herbal drugs in Burma.