The Government Ayurveda College in Thiruvananthapuram, the oldest of its kind in the state and one of the oldest in the country, is something of a cherished heritage, with its 125-year-old history. The recent inauguration of a brand new seven storied pay ward at the College is part of the Government’s plans to develop this into a Center for Excellence.
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Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, while inaugurating this building, said that the Central Government has been approached for help towards making it a Center for Excellence, and they have agreed in principle to the project and have asked the state government to scout for a 10-acre plot of land for the purpose. Once that is done, steps will be taken to raise the College into one of national repute and the state will soon have its own Ayush Department.
The pay ward had been built at a cost of Rs.5.75 crores and has 72 rooms, which house 425 beds. The construction of the pay ward is a significant step for the Government Ayurveda College since this would mean that patients facing financial difficulties will be able to find more room in the general ward when those currently occupying this ward, but with the ability to afford the use of the pay ward, can be moved to it.
The Government also proposes to build a four-storied pay ward at the Poojappura Panchakarma Hospital and has created 343 new posts for the newly launched Ayurvedic dispensaries in the state. Already Kerala is the only state in the country to have at least one Ayurvedic center in every panchayath and municipality. As part of this drive, a documentary produced jointly by the Tradition Kerala Innovation Department and the Information and Public Relations Department about the benefits of Ayurveda has also been launched.
All these are right steps in the right direction and mean that the government is very serious about giving the centuries old healthcare system of Ayurveda the rightful place it deserves and things can only look better for this ancient tradition.
