State Minister of Indigenous Medicine Sisira Jayakodi says necessary steps have been taken to promote the indigenous medicine sector as an industry with commercial value that can generate foreign exchange.

The lawmaker expressed these views while joining the press conference held at the Presidential Media Centre on Tuesday (Aug. 15) under the theme ‘Collective Path to a Stable Country.

“Indigenous medical service in our country has existed as a quality medical service for a long time. Beyond that, the Ministry of Indigenous Medicine and the Department of Ayurveda have now started the program to develop the indigenous medicine sector as an industry that can generate foreign exchange with commercial value,” Jayakodi commented further.

The state minister, stating that necessary amendments would be made to the Ayurveda Act, subject to the Supreme Court’s orders, mentioned that the top court has approved the clauses regarding the cultivation of medicinal plants necessary for the promotion of the following export sector in the county and the generation of foreign exchange.

With the aim of boosting the tourism sector, the state minister said a new program is in progress to provide the contribution of the indigenous medical system to tourist hotels as a treatment method that goes beyond traditional methods. The program has already started producing well-trained certified therapists, he added.

Jayakodi also spoke of the potential to promote the indigenous medicine as a sector that can generate incredible foreign exchange. “Today there is a very high demand for herbal products all over the world. Also, the cosmetics industry is a place where billions roam today. Also, indigenous medicine has a special place in the field of tourism.”

The state minister also pointed out that many new trends have been made in the indigenous medicine system and Ayurvedic system in order to build a healthy population in the country as well as to solve the problems that have arisen in the health sector.