A three member delegation led by Shri NilanjanSanyal, Secretary, Department of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and Homeopathy (AYUSH), Government of India is currently in Malaysia (March 26-28, 2014) for the 2nd Bilateral Technical Meeting on Cooperation in the field of Traditional Systems of Medicines between India and Malaysia.  The other members of the delegation are Shri Bala Prasad, Joint Secretary and Shri RajinderSood, Deputy Secretary, from the Department of AYUSH, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. 

During the visit, the delegation called on H.E. Datuk Sri Dr. S. Subramaniam, Hon’ble Minister of Health of Malaysia on March 26, 2014 and discussed furthering collaboration with Malaysia in the field of Traditional Medicines.  Hon’ble Minister of Health expressed his keenness to institutionalise this engagement between India and Malaysia for mutual benefit.

In the 2nd bilateral technical meeting, Malaysian side was led by Datuk Dr. Noor Hisham bin Abdullah, Director General, Ministry of Health, Government of Malaysia. During the meeting, both sides made presentation of respective country reports on status of traditional systems of medicines in their countries. They also reviewed various action points which emerged from the 1st Bilateral Technical Meeting held on November 8, 2012 in New Delhi such as deputation of experts from India to Malaysia, exchange of lists of recognised Indian universities/colleges in traditional medicine, verification of degrees of practitioners of  tradition medicines in Malaysia, various training programmes as well as transfer of technology, collaboration, research and training of Malaysian officers in medicinal plant, sharing of ASU Pharmacopoeias with Malaysia as well as scholarships to Malaysian students to study traditional medicine courses in India.  A joint statement was adopted at the end of the Bilateral Technical Meeting.

The delegation visited the National Pharmaceutical Control Bureau of Malaysia on March 27, 2014.  Malaysian authorities made a presentation on the registration of traditional medicines in Malaysia. Indian delegation also made a presentation on the Drug Regulatory system in India.  A complete set of Pharmacopoeias on Ayurveda and Siddha was handed over to the Malaysian authorities.  Later the Indian delegation visited Port Dickson Hospital and saw the Traditional and Complementary Medicine Department in the Hospital.  Dr.GopeshMangal, an Indian Ayurvedic doctor who is on a one year deputation at Port Dickson hospital, demonstrated the functioning of the Ayurveda set up in the hospital.  On March 28, 2014, Secretary, Department of AYUSH, visited Cheras Rehabilitation hospital in Cheras and handed over an automatic Shirodhara machine to the hospital. This gesture was greatly appreciated by the Malaysian government.

India and Malaysia have a well-developed system of traditional medicines and have developed strong cooperation in this field.  AnMoU on Cooperation in the field of Traditional Medicines was signed on October 27, 2010 during the visit of Hon’ble Prime Minister of India to Malaysia.  Subsequently, an AYUSH Information Cell has also been set up at the Indian Cultural Centre, Kuala Lumpur to disseminate authentic information on AYUSH systems.

India also offers 20 scholarships to Malaysian students to undergo degree courses in various traditional medicine systems in Indian Institutes/colleges.  A qualified Ayurveda practitioner has also been deputed from India at Port Dickson hospital since October 2011. Two therapists in Ayurveda will also be joining shortly the Ayurveda doctor in Port Dickson hospital as well as at Cheras Rehabilitation hospital.  Government of India has also donated a Shirodhara machine at Port Dickson hospital for Ayurveda treatment.  It will be recalled that Government of Malaysia had recently organised a successful International Conference on Siddha in Malaysia on November 11-12, 2013.