Govt mulls to make JK a hub of medical, wellness tourism

Srinagar, June 02:  Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday reiterated the commitment of the J&K Government to making the UT a hub of medical and wellness tourism.

He said the Jammu and Kashmir UT will actively contribute to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of ‘Heal in India’ and ‘Heal by India’.

He was addressing a Consultative meeting on “Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission – Heal in India, Heal by India,” organized by  National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (ISM), Ministry of AYUSH, today at University of Kashmir.

Jammu Kashmir is fully prepared to become an important centre of AYUSH and ‘Heal in India’ campaign, which will not only promote medical tourism in the Union Territory, but also create immense business and employment opportunities in the healthcare sector, added the Lt Governor.

The Lt Governor said that by March next year 129 health and wellness centers will be made operational in the UT. He also said that under the centrally sponsored scheme, 17 new Ayush dispensaries have been made operational and from the ongoing fiscal 17 more dispensaries will be made functional."

 “J&K has been a major center of the Indian system of medicine since ancient times and according to Kalhana's Rajtarangini, a well developed Ayurveda hospital was functional those days. Kalhana wrote that J&K had flourishing Ayurvedic drug manufacturing units and Ayurvedic pharmacies,” said the Lt Governor.

With such a rich legacy, we are committed for investment and innovation in AYUSH and to strengthen the traditional system of medicines. It has tremendous growth potential and J&K bestowed with nature's bounty and rich medicinal plants will promote startups and business units in AYUSH, he added.

 He said the world has recognized the Indian System of Medicine as the oldest, effective and scientific health system for prevention and cure. Now the time has come to connect the new generation with this heritage and rich legacy to fulfil the vision of One Earth, One Health, he added.

At the consultative meet, the Lt Governor shared the efforts to strengthen the basic health infrastructure, promote medical tourism in the J&K UT and provide the people with access to world class, affordable and quality healthcare services.

Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, the Ministry of AYUSH and J&K administration are working together with the vision of ‘One Earth, One Health’ to serve the global community through integrated and ancient Indian System of medicine, he said.

The Lt Governor also highlighted several milestones achieved in the AYUSH sector of J&K UT.

"In five districts of Jammu and Kashmir including Kulgam, Kuthua, Kupwara, Kishtiwar and Samba, we are establishing 50 bedded integrated Ayush hospitals each. From 2020 after the outbreak of COVID-19, at least half of the population of Jammu and Kashmir has been given an Ayush immunity booster and support medicines," he said.

The Lt Governor also shared suggestions for integrating local health traditions with the mainstream of Ayurveda by promoting People's Science preserved for centuries and transcribing the rich and diverse Indian medicine knowledge in simple language for the new generation.