Shillong (Meghalaya ), Oct 3: The Meghalaya Traditional Healing Clinic was inaugurated today by Health and Family Welfare Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh at Pahamsyiem, Ri-Bhoi.
In Meghalaya, the indigenous system of medicine (Traditional medicine) practice by the traditional healers of the state utilizes a vast array of medicinal plants, herbs, minerals, etc. and it has been the mainstay of health care delivery or serves as a complement to it.
Bio-Resources Development Centre has over the years worked closely with the traditional healers of the State by conducting various consultative workshops, District Level Training and Capacity Building, Block Level Awareness cum Health Camp on Traditional Healing.
Through these interactions, the Centre has been able to identify the problems and constraints faced by the Healers. As such and based on these findings, the Centre has implemented programmes and coordinated with other healthcare service providers like, NEIAH, Shillong, Santhigiri Ashram,Kerala and the Directorate of AYUSH.
The Centre has distributed Tools and Kits to the Traditional Healers to further promote this rich traditional and cultural practice of the State. However, one of the gaps that has been identified is that this indigenous system of healing has not been properly streamlined and Traditional healers have been practicing under their own capacity in their own villages or small clinics in the urban locations and their herbal medicines and products being able to reach only to the local markets. Hence, the concept of Meghalaya Traditional Healing Clinic was conceived to serve as a Common facility Centre for the Traditional Healers across the district to provide their services and dispense their herbal formulations through a single platform.
Apart from the conventional way of treatment practices are well-known for their inherited knowledge and wisdom of massage therapy popularly known as the Khasi Traditional Massage. The traditional massage is a thriving business both in urban and rural areas and has the potential to be taken up for integration into public healthcare sector and to be promoted as health tourism for economic development and livelihood promotion at districts especially in tourist spots in line with the homestays.
These traditional healing clinics will serve as a medium to popularize this healing practices whereby the Traditional Healers themselves will manage and run these clinics in a sustainable/business model. Besides, showering and dispensing their practices, these clinics will also be used as a training facility for willing unemployed youths in further value addition of the herbal formulations.
The primary objectives to popularize and strengthen the traditional healing system of the State by promoting this ancient/traditional healthcare therapy and bringing the State of Meghalaya in the limelight of the National Map of Health Tourism where tourists will visit the State not only for its scenic beauty but to seek relaxation of body, mind and soul.
The center has funded a total amount of Rs. 25,89, 117/-) for construction of the MTHC still date and have sanctioned Rs. 8,63,039 each to the Traditional Healers Associations in Ri-Bhoi, West Garo Hills and West Khasi Hills Districts.
Post-construction thatch at Pahamsyiem in Ri-Bhoi District was handed over to the President/Secretary of the Ri-Bhoi Traditional Healers Association, Nongpoh on Jan 21 last and the contribution on basic amenities and treatment facilities for the Clinic have been provided by the Ri-Bhoi Traditional Healers Association.
The working modality and business Model of the Clinic have been prepared by the Association and till date the number of patients visiting the Clinic is about 4000, making a profit of about Rs. Two Lakhs for the Association.
Construction of the MTHC at Nongstoin in West Khasi Hills is completed and further consultation with the association in working out the modality of operating the Clinic is in progress.
In Tura, the clinic is under construction in collaboration with the Meghalaya Samachik Association, Tura, West Garo Hills. The location and site for the Clinic is Rongbakgre adjacent to the Samachik Sikman hospital, a traditional healing hospital managed by the Association.
In SWKH district, the proposal for construction of the Clinic is underway in consultation with the Seng Nongai Dawai Khasi Nylla, Mawkyrwat. Site location has been identified by the Association at Mawmerang, Mawkyrwat.
