Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2019-03-26

Project for the Conservation of Traditional Medical Knowledge - Stage II

- There is evidence to prove that our Traditional System of Medicine has been of much help for the cure and prevention of non‑communicable as well as other diseases. As such, the Department of Ayurveda has implemented a project for the conservation of the traditional system of medicine and the medical knowledge which presently is going into oblivion, considering the importance of preserving and disseminating the system of traditional medicine. As the initial step of the project, the preparation of a database by collecting information of about 2,500 Doctors, renovation of the old library and the preservation of the record room, ola leave books, preservation and duplication of about 400 ola leave books, drafting legislation to preserve the knowledge on traditional indigenous medicine and the establishment of the audio visual unit necessary for the digital library, have been commenced. As the second stage of the above project, it has been planned to preserve age old treatment practices, curing methods and various behavioral patterns and to get the traditional medical systems subject to research to ensure their scientific aspects aimed at disseminating such knowledge to the future generation. As such the proposal made by Hon. (Dr.) Rajitha Senaratne, the Minister of Health, Nutrition & Indigenous Medicine, to implement the same in the Medium Term Budgetary Framework with an investment of Rs.350 million, was approved by the Cabinet.