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7. Establish goals for conservation of natural resources: Natural populations of around
12% of the 6000 species of potentially medicinal plants are currently estimated to be
under threat due to degradation and loss of habitats alongside unsustainable ways of
harvesting and lack of cultivation. The problem of growing scarcity also leads to the
danger of more counterfeit material being marketed. It is therefore necessary to
support conservation and sustainable harvesting efforts in the forestry sector and
cultivation in the agricultural sector. Direct support for conservation and cultivation as
well as indirect methods through incentive policies should be pursued for nurturing
these plant resources. The wild gene pool of India's medicinal plants should be
secured, via establishment of a nation wide network of 300 'Forest Gene Banks'
across the 10 bio-geographic regions of the country.
8. Support non-Government and Corporate initiatives for promotion of THS: The
non-government and private sector have played an important role in building the
public image of traditional health sciences. Non-governmental research and education
institutions, NGOs and corporates with a global vision must be strategically supported
in the interest of enhancing national and international awareness of India's rich health
system heritage.
9. Promote international cooperation: International cooperation in exploration of
traditional health systems must be given a big boost through substantial initiatives like
strategic research collaborations with reputed research centres and establishing
wellness centers in countries that offer promising market opportunities. EXIM bank of
India must be supported to work with industry to open world markets for these
products and services.
10. Support primary healthcare in rural areas: With 70% of Indian population relying
on traditional medicine for primary health care in the absence of adequate state
primary health care, it becomes necessary to establish evidence-based guidelines for
this informal-sector usage. A nation-wide network of Home Herbal Garden and
Community Herbal Gardens (CHG) can be created to support the primary health care
needs of rural communities for those plants and medications established as efficacious
by evidence-based research.
11. Create a major re-branding exercise of Indian traditional medicine: Better
branding of Indian traditional medicines proven to be effective in well-designed
clinical trials can increase safe and effective healthcare options. Such proven
medications should be integrated with the national healthcare system. Such evidencebased,
well-validated and uniquely Indian holistic healthcare system combinations
must be marketed extensively globally.
In order to achieve these goals as rapidly and efficiently as possible, the Government
of India may consider establishing a National Mission on Traditional Health
Knowledge (NMTHK), which would take up these tasks in an organized way. It
should be a relatively small body in terms of its own infrastructure with powers to
enable it to recommend targeted funding in identified areas. It should support
initiatives at many different levels, including state and local levels, and coordinate
with Ministries of Health, Science & Technology, Forestry, Agriculture, Commerce
as well as with the NGOs and private sector. The Mission leader must be a person
with high public credibility, have extensive knowledge and experience in the field
with established managerial capabilities and experience of dealing with all the
concerned stakeholders.
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