Declaring that healthcare should be available to all, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced the government would support integrated, alternative forms of medicine such as ayurveda, homeopathy, naturopathy and unani.
He was speaking at a function ‘Arogya Aayasu’, organised by the Homeopathy Foundation in Bangalore on Friday. “The government is committed to providing ayurveda, homeopathy, unani, ayur and naturopathy centres at one taluk in each district,” he said. He added officials of the Forest Department have been instructed to preserve and grow more medicinal plants.
Health Minister U T Khader observed alternative medicines can free the poor from excess financial costs as treatment in such forms of medicine costs less. “Instead of building more hospitals, we should be in a position to give preventive medicines at all hospitals,” said Khader.
Khader added killer diseases like cancer can also be treated by alternative medicine. He said it was ironic that crores should be spent on finding cures for diseases caused by habits such as chewing gutkha, a sachet of which costs only `2.
Dr Rudresh, a homeopathic practitioner, said there is a need to increase centres of homeopathy. There are 12,000 practitioners, but only 43 centres in the State.