Sri Lanka should be converted into an Ayurvedic medical services centre that renders services to the world.  The required background in this regard is available in Sri Lanka, stated Dr. Sarath Amunugama, Minister of Higher Education and Research.

“In the present world an extraordinary attention is drawn to the alternative medical approaches. We should take proper advantages from this opportunity. Our syllabuses should be updated in line with the updating of international syllabuses. Then it would be not an issue to compete with the world,” he stated at the meeting held at the Minister’s Office awarding the appointment letters of the newly-appointed Board of Management of the Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda Institute.

The Minister further stated: “We believe that the number of tourists that exceeds 2.5 million at present would be increased more than the country’s population in the future. Today, in Singapore, too, there are more tourists than the population. Increasing tourists that visit the country is a very favourable factor for the development of the country. The service that can be provided for the tourists through Ayurvedic medicine is enormous. Tourists are very keen on this. In India, this method is developing rapidly.  With that, we too can develop this sector.

“The best and the only remedy for this is to expand the education and the updating of syllabuses. Further, I believe that the students who are studying this subject should be equipped with knowledge on Sanskrit language; especially Ayurvedic teaching texts such as Indian Charaka Samhita are written in Sanskrit language. Similarly, I propose that the Ayurvedic experts with traditional specialist knowledge should be assigned to the teaching activities of the children.

“Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda Institute, which was founded by Pandit G.P. Wickramarachchi with his unobstructed courage, need, and dedication, has become a degree awarding institute, today. On the way forward to make Sri Lanka the hub of Ayurvedic medicine, the minor conflicts of opinion and issues between individuals and institutes should be forgotten. It should not be forgotten that our final objective is to do something good on behalf of the country and the world.

“I can remember that in the early days too, there was a discussion among some Ayurvedic medical practitioners as ‘mishra’ and ‘amishra’ (mixed and non-mixed). On that situation, Dr. Lenora, with an unobstructed effort, paved the way to give opportunities to 200 doctors to earn the degree at Kolkata in India. I would like to recall that incident as a great sacrifice at that moment. Whether to use the stethoscope and other instruments or not should not be an issue to worry about. You can come into agreements, made conclusions and decisions in this regard. The final objective should be to convert our country into an international centre of Ayurvedic medicine.”

The gathering included Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, the Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Research, Piyasena Ranepura, Secretary to the Ministry, and Prof. Mohan De Silva, Chairman University Grants Commission.
Appointees included Dr. Buddhika Liyanage, Prof. S.G. Ranasinghe, Dr. Tharaka Prasad Hendawitharana, Prof. L.R. Jayasekara, Vinayakantha Wickramaarachchi, C. Maliyadda and R.K. Ranaweera.