Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, December 14 2008:
A ONE-DAY state level workshop cum training programme under the theme "Traditional healing practices in North East India" was held at Life Science department, Manipur University today.
The workshop was held to promote and documented the traditional treatment using medicinal plants and to urge to recognize the practice like naturopathy and homeopathy treatment by government.
Department of Life Science, MU organised the workshop jointly with Apunba Manipur Maiba Maibee Phurup, and North Eastern Institute of folk medicine, Pasighat (Arunachal Pradesh) under the sponsorship of Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Department of Ayush.
Dr R Bhara Marjan, HOD, department of life science, MU inaugurated the workshop.
Vice chancellor of MU Prof H Nandakumar, Prof H NK Sharma, in-charge NEIFM Dr Ramashankar and Dr PK Singh were also attended the inauguration function.
Prof H Nandakumar in his speech said that there are many medicinal plants around here which have been used in treatment of many ailments.
The traditional treatment that has been going on since long by the Maibas or Maibees is contributing a major role in Manipuri society.
"We should promote the traditional treatment practices," he said.
"We should prevent such medicinal plants from extinction.
Now is the time for the scientists and traditional healers to co-operate each other," Nandakumar said.
The workshop was participated by many renowned Maibas and Maibees, experts in the field and students interested in it.
In the technical session in the evening, G Hariramamurthi of FRLHT Bangalore and Prof K Borthakur Sharma talked on the traditional healthcare system and Ethnobotany in relation to technology, documentation of indigenous knowledge respectively.
Renowned Maiba A Norton, K Paochunbou, Lourembam Ibotombi and Yumnam Tomba also talked about traditional method of treatment as resource persons.
An exhibition was also held as a part of the workshop where herbal medicines were sold in different stalls.
Medications to treat Diabetes, Ulcer, Diarrhea, dysentery, cold and flu, blood pressure problems, paralysis, piles etc were sold in the exhibition.