CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Health Department has started in-house manufacturing facility of Ayurvedic drugs at Patiala Pharmacy to provide genuine drugs to the patients manufactured from medicinal plants and herbs under scientific supervision. Raw material worth Rs. 1 crore has already been purchased for manufacturing of drugs.

Speaking after inaugurating Refresher Course for Senior Ayurvedic Medical Officers here Thursday Health Minister Lakshmi Kanta Chawla said that Punjab is the first State to start this novel experiment to provide genuine Ayurvedic drugs to the citizens of the State. Besides the Vigilance wing of the    Department has been strengthened to check the production and sale of spurious Ayurvedic drugs in the State. Seeking the cooperation of general public, the Minister said that they should in confidence give information about any units manufacturing spurious drugs in their vicinity

Referring to the Departmental set -up, the Minister said that vacant posts would be filled up after restructuring and the ayurveda doctors would be given their due promotions within stipulated time frame. She also said that the proposal of allowing in-service Ayurveda doctors to obtain post   graduation degree in their respective specializations was under active consideration of the government.

She also said that an unique herbal garden was being set up in 7 acres of land in Zirakpur where all kinds of  herbs  and medicinal trees would be grown .  First Ayurveda University was also  coming up in Hoshiarpur, she said.

Principal Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, Vijay Kain in his welcome address said that Ayurveda being the oldest system of Indian Medicines, has gained tremendous popularity even in western countries.   He said that the process of reviewing of recruitment rules and the process of filling up of vacant posts would be completed by January 2008.

K.B.S.Sidhu, Commissioner Ayush,  T.R. Sarangal, Dr. Y.C. Markan Director Ayurveda also spoke on the occasion. A renowned Vaidya Ravinder Vatsayan  gave his detailed presentation on Rheumatic Arthritis As many as 120 ayurveda experts attended today's convention.