The four-day Arogya Fair 2018 which was organized to showcase revitalization of traditional system of medicines, market promotion and processing of medicinal and aromatic plants, income generation and scientific approaches, concluded in Imphal, the capital city of Manipur on Sunday.
Manipur Health and Family Welfare Minister Langpoklakpam Jayentakumar attended the formal closing function along with the MLA Lourembam Rameshwor of Keirao constituency and Director A Guneshwor Sharma of Ayush department.
Speaking on the occasion, State Health Minister Jayentakumar highlighted the importance of Ayush department in a state like Manipur considering the rich resources of medicinal plants and its traditional knowledge.
He also informed the gathering that the Ayush department in the State will be expanded within a shortest possible time by recruiting necessary manpower so that the upcoming Ayush centres in some specific locations functions properly.
It may be mentioned that the Central Government had approved providing support in setting up of four 50-bedded hospitals in Manipur.
Even the Union Minister of State for AYUSH (Independent Charge) Shripad Yesso Naik during his recent visit to Manipur had informed that his Ministry had approved setting up of a new Homeopathic College having a homeopathy pharmacy and a drug testing laboratory at Keirao in Manipur’s Imphal East district.
Manipur which accounts for a fraction of a per cent of the total land area of the earth, has around 500 medicinal plants out of 10,000 identified medical plants across the globe.
Many medicinal plants having medicinal properties besides products of made out of such natural resources were also displayed at around 55 stalls during the fair for sale and public awareness.
Participating in the fair, secretary of Rural Auxiliary for People’s Action L Subhachandra said, “I have been planting and protecting not less than 100 indigenous medicinal plants and rhizomes in order to conserve the tradition of using such rare plants for the future generation.”
Subhachandra, the man behind organizing state’s first ever Rhizome festival last year is currently taking up conservation of indigenous plants at his Tekcham village farm in Thoubal district.
