India to host World Ayurveda Conference next month

India will host the 6th World Ayurveda Conference from Nov 6-9 here to highlight its significance in the mainstream of the country's public health system.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the conference.

Speaking about the agenda, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan Monday said: "The World Ayurveda Conference will be comprised of five plenary sessions and 25 technical sessions on 15 research themes."

He said 750 scientific papers will be presented by scientists from India, Germany, Italy, the US, Argentina, Russia and many other countries.

He emphasised that the government is committed to the progress of Ayurvedic medicine in the country.

"As part of government initiatives,a new All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) is coming up at Jasola, Delhi, and will admit the first batch of post-graduate students during the academic year 2015-16," he said.

"One of my first decisions was to approve the course content. I would like to see this develop into an institution comparable to the All India Institute of Medical Sciencesa" he added.

According to the government, a 200-bed, seven-storey referral hospital is also coming up within the 10-acre campus, and will begin to admit patients within six months from now.

"AIIA will emerge as a Centre of Excellence dealing with fundamental research, drug safety evaluation, standardisation, quality control and scientific validation of Ayurveda medicines," Harsh Vardhan said.

On the side lines of the Ayurveda Conference, a public event named "Arogya Expo" will be organised that will be based on themes like Ayurveda, Yoga, naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and homoeopathy systems of medicine.

A total of 500 pharma companies dealing in Ayurvedic medicines will participate in the Ayurveda Congress.

"The public will be invited to see for themselves the wonders of our traditional medicines. We will open free consultation facilities where AYUSH doctors will examine all those who turn up and also distribute free medicines. Live Yoga sessions are also planned," Harsh Vardhan said.

"Over the next couple of years I wish to make the World Ayurveda Congress as popular as the India International Trade Fair which is also held at Pragati Maidan," he added.