“Amrit Kaal of next 25 year will prove to be the golden period of traditional medicines” – PM
India is going to introduce a special AYUSH visa category to facilitate people to travel to India for AYUSH therapy: Shri Modi
Special ‘AYUSH Mark’ and ‘AYUSH Park’ will be setup to give global recognition to herbal nutritional supplements
AYUSH sector has increased to more than 18 billion dollars from less than 3 billion dollars in last 8 years
Sustaining the heritage of socio-cultural practices and diversity of traditional medicine is essential for its development: Prime Minister of Mauritius
Prime Minister has established a worldwide range of naturopathic practices that have been in practice in India since ancient times: Gujarat Chief Minister
“Gujarat” will play an important role in making India a hub of traditional medicine- Shri Bhupendra Patel
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Gandhinagar, Tuesday: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today inaugurated the Global AYUSH Investment and Innovation Summit from Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar today. He said that he got the idea to organise the Global AYUSH Investment and Innovation Summit during the Covid-19 pandemic. While AYUSH provided strong support to improve people’s immunity and the demand for AYUSH products increased.
Recalling the efforts made by India to tackle the Covid pandemic, the Prime Minister noted the work done by modern pharma companies and vaccine manufacturers. Corona vaccine could be developed in India so fast only if Indian pharma companies get investment at the right time. Otherwise, who would have thought that we could have developed a corona vaccine so quickly?
India has become the best destination for other countries in the field of medical tourism. Many investment opportunities have also emerged in this sector. Today, as India celebrating Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav, Amrit Kaal of next 25 year will prove to be the golden period of traditional medicine.
Describing the strides made by the Ayush sector the Prime Minister said “we are already witnessing unprecedented growth in the production of AYUSH medicines, supplements and cosmetics. In 2014, where the AYUSH sector was less than 3 billion dollar, today it has increased to more than 18 billion dollar.” He said that the Ministry of AYUSH has taken several major steps to encourage startup culture in the field of Traditional Medicines. A few days back an incubation centre developed by All India Institute of Ayurveda has been inaugurated.
Describing the current age, the era of unicorns, the Prime Minister informed that in the year 2022 itself, so far 14 start-ups from India have joined the Unicorn Club. “I am sure unicorns will emerge from our AYUSH start-ups very soon”, he hoped. Noting that the production of medicinal plants can be a good means of increasing the income and livelihood of the farmers and the scope of employment generation in this, the Prime Minister highlighted the importance of facility to easily connect with the market for the farmers involved in the production of medicinal plants. For this, the government is also working on modernization and expansion of AYUSH e-market place, he said.
“India is a treasure trove of herbal plants, it is, in a way our ‘Green Gold’”. The Prime Minister described the unprecedented efforts made in the past years to promote the export of AYUSH products. Emphasis has been laid on mutual recognition of AYUSH drugs with other countries. For this more than 50 MoUs have been entered with different countries in the last few years. “Our AYUSH experts are developing ISO standards in collaboration with the Bureau of Indian Standards. This will open a huge export market for AYUSH in more than 150 countries”, added PM.
Shri Modi also informed that FSSAI has announced a new category named ‘AYUSH Aahar’ in its regulations last week. This will greatly facilitate the producers of herbal nutritional supplements. Similarly, India is also going to make a special AYUSH mark. This mark will be applied to the highest quality AYUSH products made in India. This AYUSH mark will be equipped with the provisions of modern technology. “This will give people all over the world the confidence of quality AYUSH products” he added.
Prime Minister announced that the government will develop a network of AYUSH parks to encourage the promotion, research and manufacturing of AYUSH products across the country. These Ayush Parks will give new direction to Ayush Manufacturing in India, Shri Modi said.
Continuing on the potential of traditional medicine, the Prime Minister noted the role of traditional medicines in increasing the tourism of Kerala. “This potential is there in every corner of India. ‘Heal in India’ can become a big brand of this decade” he said. Wellness centers based on Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha etc. can be very popular, he said. To promote this further, the Prime Minister continued, the government is taking another initiative for foreign nationals who want to come to India to take advantage of AYUSH therapy. “Very soon, India is going to introduce a special AYUSH visa category. This will facilitate people to travel to India for AYUSH therapy” declared the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister also narrated the Ayurveda success story of Former Prime Minister of Kenya, Raila Odinga’s daughter Rosemary Odinga regaining her eyesight after Ayush treatment. Rosemary Odinga was present in the audience and the Prime Minister introduced her as the gathering gave her a thunderous applause.
Shri Modi continued that India of the 21st century wants to move ahead by sharing its experiences and its knowledge with the world. “Our heritage is like a legacy to the entire humanity”, he said.
The Prime Minister stressed that one of the main reasons behind the prosperity of Ayurveda has been its open source model. Comparing this with the open-source movement in IT sector, the Prime Minister emphasized that Ayurveda tradition went from strength to strength by sharing of knowledge. He stressed the need to work with the same spirit of open-source taking inspiration from our ancestors. ss
Mauritius Prime Minister Shri Pravind Jugnauth:-
Mauritius Prime Minister Shri Pravind Jugnauth said that, The WHO estimates that 80% of the world’s population uses traditional medicine. India is officially perceiving the origins of traditional medicine. Sustaining the heritage of socio-cultural practices and diversity of traditional medicine is essential for its development.
Congratulating Gujarat on the successful completion of the ground breaking ceremony of the world’s first Global Centre for Traditional Medicine-GCTM at Jamnagar, he further said, He thanked the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi and the citizens of Indian for the facilities of Ayurveda clinic provided by India to Mauritius during COVID-19 pandemic India and Mauritius have similar values about the usefulness of traditional medicine. He thanked the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Ministry of AYUSH and the Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Bhupendra Patel for the excellent organization of this program. He also mentioned that Dhanteras iscelebrated every year as Ayurveda Day in Mauritius. He thanked all Gujaratis for the grand welcome he received in Gujarat.
Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel:-
Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel thanked renowned leader Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for organizing AYUSH Investment and Innovation Summit-2022 in Gujarat and by welcoming him to this virtuous land of Gujarat he said that, at a time where naturopathy has been practiced in India since ancient times, the Prime Minister has introduced these ancient therapies on a global scale. As a result, WHO’s ‘Global Centre for Traditional Medicine’ has been set up at Jamnagar Ayurvedic University, which he hopes will become a Global Knowledge AP Centre in the field of Traditional Medicine in the near future.
The Chief Minister added that due to the efforts of Prime Minister Shri Narendrabhai Modi, Yoga-Pranayama has gained worldwide recognition. His proposal to United Nations to celebrate International Yoga Day was gladly accepted by most countries. After yoga-pranayama, India’s ancient healing practices have also been established by the Prime Minister on a global scale. It is a matter of pride for us that Gujarat has got the first and only global centre for traditional medicines in the world. He further added saying that, The importance of preventive medicine is recognised worldwide. People in many countries have adopted a healthy lifestyle inspired by practising yoga, pranayama, and ayurveda. Therapeutic methods like Yoga, Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Unani, Siddha are based on lifestyle. Moreover it thinks not only about human body but also for the mind. It treats the patient by considering the atmosphere around him and also his deeds. This holistic approach of medicine has now caught the attention of people around the world. He further added saying that , At a time when people around the world are slowly adopting traditional therapies as an alternative treatment. Preventive medicine has been advocated in the ancient scriptures of India not only to cure the disease but also to prevent the disease. The time has come to lay more emphasis on preventing diseases rather than to treat it. I am confident that India will lead the world in this direction through its extensive experience in traditional medicine.
Citizens of the state have respect and interest in yoga, natural herbs and traditional medicine. Land of Gujarat has been blessed with expert doctors for centuries and for this reason this Summit will prove to be vital in this prospect. The people of Gujarat are known all over the world for their entrepreneurship. Gujarat is the leading state in the country in the field of pharmaceuticals. Through its industry-promoting policies like ‘Ease of Doing Business’ and Logistics Ease along with Export Preparedness, Gujarat will play an important role in making India a hub of traditional medicine. The AYUSH Investment and Innovation Summit will be a golden opportunity to spread the knowledge of India’s traditional medical practices across the world.
Believing in the value of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (The World is One Family), Indian culture has worked for the welfare of the entire world to lead a healthy life. I am confident that this Summit will play an important role in making the world disease-free through the development of traditional medicine. I am also confident that this Summit will be instrumental in realising our traditional mantra of ‘Bahujan Hitaya Bahujan Sukhaya’ (for the happiness of the many, for the welfare of the many) with our ancient healing practices under the direction of the Prime Minister.
WHO Director General Shri Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
The Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Shri. Tedros Adhanom won the hearts of the people by starting his speech in Gujarati. Before he started his address, he remembered Mahatma Gandhi and said, “I have had the good fortune to come to the land of Mahatma Gandhi.” On this occasion, he also thanked the Prime Minister Shri Narendrabhai Modi.
Addressing the dignitaries present at the Global AYUSH Investment and Innovation Summit-2022, General Tedros Adhanom said that while the world is a family, our society should benefit all people with the knowledge of inherited health. The World Health Organization is also adhering to it.
“We have focused on traditional medicine, its implementation as well as clinical trials, scientific evidence and methods,” said Mr Tedros Adhanom. This year, the industry could reach a staggering US 23 billion dollars.
Talking about the field of traditional medicine, Mr. Tedros said that there are three main things that need to be considered in order to take this field forward. Firstly, there’s need of long-term strategic investment to support the innovation ecosystem. Secondly, it should be developed in a sustainable manner and those who have become collaborators and partners should also get this benefit, he added.
“The World Health Organization (WHO) is about to turn 75 years old,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom. As India is also celebrating its 75th year of Independence, the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Bhai Modi proposed ‘Annual Global Meet’ on Traditional Medicine in Gujarat for which we have agreed and also expressed confidence that the first meeting will be held next year. Dr. Tedros also provided information about the WHO Center in Jamnagar and said that the WHO Center in Jamnagar would make Gujarat a world leader in traditional medicine.
Union Minister of AYUSH Shri Sarbananda Sonowal
Welcoming the gathering, Union Minister of AYUSH Shri Sarbananda Sonowal said, “We are fortunate to be a part of the largest and first ever Global AYUSH Investment and Innovation Summit-2022 in the presence of the Prime Minister of India, the Prime Minister of Mauritius and the Director General of WHO.”
The Union AYUSH Minister said that there is a wide scope for entrepreneurship and business development in AYUSH systems. Based on its holistic approach to health, disease and cost effectiveness, it becomes a basis for tackling health problems along with primary disease prevention. We are proud to preserve and promote the approach of the healthcare, distribution system, which is developing within the country and across the world due to the policies and programs tailored to the country under the leadership of the Prime Minister.
He said that the Ministry of AYUSH is witnessing growth in the industry sector, which has increased from ૩billion dollar in 2014 to more than 18.1 billion at present. India exports 10.45 million kg of herbal and ayush products to about 150 countries globally.
The Minister said that the Ministry of AYUSH has taken several recent initiatives in this regard. The Ministry of AYUSH as well as the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are developing entrepreneurship among the professionals of Ayurveda and other traditional medicines. These include degree holders, drug manufacturers and cultivators. The Ministry of AYUSH has also developed the Entrepreneurship Development Program (EDP) in collaboration with MSMEs to encourage young entrepreneurs to set up startups in AYUSH in line with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Bhai Modi’s Startup India initiative.
The Minister proudly said that AYUSH system means Ayurveda is recognized in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, UAE, Bangladesh, Cuba, Colombia, Switzerland, South Africa and other countries. In addition, many Latin American and European countries are actively considering adopting this system.
GAIIS-2022 is expected to create awareness among business stakeholders, encourage young entrepreneurs to use modern technologies and innovations in business development in this field and promote opportunities globally, said the Minister. It will also provide information regarding various possibilities of business development.
The three-day summit will feature five plenary sessions, eight round tables, six workshops and two symposiums with about 90 distinguished speakers and 100 exhibitors in attendance. The summit will help unleash investment potential and promote innovation, research and development, the start-up ecosystem and the wellness industry. It will help bring industry leaders and scholars together and serve as a platform for future collaboration.
On this occasion, Prime Minister Modi launched AYUSH Export Promotion Council, AYUSH Information Booklet, Portal, AYUSH Information Hub, AYUSH GIS, AYUSH Next and AYUSH Software under the ICT Initiative of Ministry of AYUSH.
On this occasion Union Health Minister Shri Mansukh Mandvia, Union Minister of State for AYUSH Shri Mahendra Munjpara, Members of the Cabinet, MPs, MLAs, Ambassadors of various countries, Chief Secretary Shri Pankaj Kumar, Chief Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Shri K. Kailashnathan and other senior Parliamentary officials of the state. Ministry of Health-AYUSH-WHO officials, Ayurvedacharyas were present. In addition, more than 750 Ayurveda college students from all over India viewed online.
Source: Information Department, Gujarat