...And Holds On To Traditional Medicines

Not all things old are discarded in the rush to modernize in Sri Lanka. Alongside the expansion of a western-style health care system, the country is taking care that its traditional medicines are not lost.

Ayurveda is an ancient medical system that originated in India in BC 10, and combines a study of the physical, mental and emotional aspects of health. For treatment, it relies heavily on the use of herbal therapies and individualized dietary and exercise regimes. It is estimated that about 7,000 ayurvedic practitioners are active in Sri Lanka today and 3,000 are formally licensed, compared with 23,000 doctors and paramedics who have been trained in the western tradition.

Despite the free availability of modern medicine, about 80% of the population is believed to consult traditional healers, and often ayurvedic treatment is sought for chronic or geriatric conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, skin diseases, asthma and diabetes.