These observations were made by Higher Education Minister S.B.Dissanayake stated at the inaugural ceremony of ‘Ayur exKandy’ 1st international symposium on Traditional Medicine at Kandy City Center recently.
Minister further stated that, the Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayuwedic Institute was founded by late Pandith G.P.Wickramarachchi, in 1929 and later on it become an affiliated institute of Kelaniya University. We are proud to say that we have four higher education institutes which are affiliated to several Universities across the country to develop and protect indigenous medicine in Sri Lanka. We have several schools which named as Ayurwedic, Unani, Siddha and Hela Wedakama which have their own identities though generally people call them as indigenous medicine.
It’s proud to say that our forefathers have proved their capability to heal many diseases by Hela Wedakama which is founded, developed and rooted by them to the well been of mankind. We should not allow to disappearing this valuable heritage of our country since we have enough indigenous doctors and specialists in the field. The only factor is that we must bunch them together and facilitate them to the betterment of the field. Wickramarachchi Institute is doing that great job with their fullest capability with the corporation of Higher Education Ministry, other respective Ministries and other institutes by organizing this valuable event.
There is a request from the Wickramarachchi Institute to establish a University for Indigenous medicine in Sri Lanka. We have understood the need for this suggestion, but it should be discussed in detailed by respective authorities, Universities, Institutes and other stakeholders. I request you to protect our identity in the field of indigenous medicine for the mankind since it has been proved its capacity throughout the history.
The governor of the Central Province Tikiri Kobbakaduwa, Chief Minister of the province Sarath Ekanayake, Vice Chancellor of the Kelaniya University Prof.Sunanda Maddumabandara, Director of the Gampaha Wickramarachchi Institute Prof.Janitha A Liyanage and many distinguished personalities were also present. (MOHE/KH)
