Department of Information and Public Relations

Press Release No. 378/16

MEGHALAYA TRADITIONAL PRACTITIONERS MEET HELD

In order to promote and systematize the traditional healing system in the State, the Bio- Resources Development Centre (BRDC) in partnership with the Santhigiri Ashram, Kerela under the aegis of Integrated Basin Development and Livelihood Promotion Programme (IBDLP) organized a one day Meghalaya Traditional Practitioners’ Meet, 2016 on the theme “Integrated Traditional Health Care Services as an organized Sector” on 12th August, 2016 at the Conference Hall of Meghalaya Agricultural Management and Extension Training Institute (MAMETI), Upper Shillong. The Meghalaya Traditional Practitioners Meet, 2016 was inaugurated by Dr. Shreeranjan, Additional Chief Secretary in the presence of Shri R.M. Mishra, Principal Secretary, Planning, Shri K.W. Marbaniang, Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Dr. B. D. R. Tiwari, Secretary, Planning and Member Secretary, BRDC, Dr. P. K. Goswami, Director, NEIAH, Shillong, Swami Padmaprakasha, in-charge Santhigiri Ashram, New Delhi and Member National Medical & Wellness Tourism Board, New Delhi among others. More than 50 traditional medicine practitioners from all over the State participated in the Meet which provides an opportunity for the practitioners to interact and share their issues and concerns with eminent scientists, professionals on various topics relating to medicinal plants and the traditional healthcare practices in the State of Meghalaya. The Meet also provides a platform to come up with a common vision to promote the indigenous and traditional health care services in the State as well as the various aspects of conservation, cultivation and value chain linked to the medicinal plants. During the day long programme, various topics such as “Approach to promote cultivation of potential medicinal plants with readymade access to market”, “Wellness Centre for integrated traditional health care services (Preventive, curative health care, public health etc.)”, “Measures for standardization of products and procedures of traditional healing method”, “Approach to value addition and manufacturing of medicine and various herbal products”, “Perspective plan for bio-prospection of the properties of potential marketable medicinal plants commonly used by herbal practitioners” and “A way forward for GMP, G.I. Certification, IPR, Certification of practices” were discussed.