The Coimbatore-based Arya Vaidya Pharmacy (AVP) has received permission to set up an ayurveda hospital in Pakistan in collaboration with Karachi-based Mehrunnisa Welfare Trust (MWT). The hospital will be set up in three months time.

After months of waiting, the Pakistan government has given its green signal to AVP to initially set up a 15-bed hospital on 6,000 sq ft of constructed area. All the legal formalities for the same have been carried out. AVP will be appointing one male and one female physician initially.

AVP's assistant director (administration & operations) Dr Prasad said that the first phase of the hospital will be completed within three moths and it will be expanded at a later stage to make it a 250 bedded hospital. Three acres of land had been allotted for the same and around Rs five crore has been allotted for the venture.

The AVP is planning to export medicines directly from India. But in case of any problems regarding the export of medicines to Pakistan, medicines will be imported from AVP's Dubai centre.

"We went there and elaborately explained the concept of ayurveda to the concerned dignitaries. And they are convinced about the ancient medical system's efficacy. The chairman of the MWT would be visiting us soon. This news was also broadcasted through a Pakistan satellite channel as this is a major milestone in the relationship between both the countries," Dr Prasad said.

He said that the team from AVP which had left for Pakistan had met the authorities of the Indian government and AYUSH lately and they had reportedly asked AVP to run the hospital for a couple of years to get recognition from the government.

"Only after running the hospital for two years we will get the "At Par" status from the Indian government. They have asked us to run the hospital complying with at least 70 per cent of Indian standards for getting the recognition," he said.

Speaking about the proposed ayurveda college in Pakistan, Dr Prasad said that, the AVP will seriously consider the issue once the hospital becomes functional effectively. The establishment of a college would be the last phase of the plan as initially the focus would be on hospitals.

AVP will collaborate with MWT to provide technical management and expertise based on the inter country rules and regulations. It will provide essential medicines and oils and will also train the staff.

In future, the Trust will start an ayurveda teaching institution with full fledged approved ayurveda degree course, a research centre including provisions for clinical trials, production of ayurveda medicines and setting up of outpatient clinics in and around the centre aiming to make the MWT hospital a premier ayurveda institute in Pakistan, Dr Prasad added.