The dream of Ayurveda fraternity in Kerala to have a separate department for administration of Ayurveda under health ministry will soon be realized, said Health Minister VS Sivakumar while delivering the presidential address at the inauguration of ‘Oushadhakeralam-2013’ the mega trade expo started in Thrissur on Friday.

The formation of the department will ensure growth and development of Ayurveda system and its allied sectors, especially availability of raw materials, he said. The minister further said government will soon take the steps to start an Ayurveda University at the Kottakkal Arya Vaidyasala in Malappuram district.

“All the procedures for the formation of the department of Ayurveda are being taken by government. It is the long standing demand of the Ayurveda community. Government is very much interested to establish such a department and steps are being taken,” he said.

Regarding new projects envisaged by government to develop Ayurveda in Kerala, he said, include bringing up of Ayush medicines in the national level and schemes to conduct more researches in the field. Further, establishment of new Ayurveda colleges and Ayurveda dispensaries in all the village panchayats of the state are also in the pipeline. Likewise, government has a programme to start homoeo dispensaries in each panchayath, Sivakumar added.

He wanted the manufacturers of Ayurveda medicines to give maximum support to the growers of medicinal plants as more number of medicines requires more number of medicinal plants.

On the part of development of healthcare facilities, the minister said, in Kerala previously there were only five medical colleges, and now steps are being taken for starting eight new medical colleges. Government aims to establish one medical college in each district, he said.

While speaking, TKA Nair, advisor to Prime Minister of India, said the demand for Ayurveda drugs is increasing today, but the supply is decreasing due to shortage of raw materials. So attention is required to grow and develop more medicinal plants. He also wanted the government to think of establishing integrated healthcare providing centres linking Ayurveda and allopathy. Such centres have been already established in certain states. The local system of treatment has a very big role to play in the healthcare delivery system as the allopathic treatment is getting costlier, he said.

The trade expo will end on Monday, December 16. The event is organised by Kerala Medicinal Plants Board in association with Ayurveda Medicine Manufacturers Organisations of India (AMMOI), said Dr D Ramanathan, organising secretary.