Orissa CM Naveen Patnaik inaugurates Arogya Fair at Bhubaneswar

Showcasing different therapies encompassed in the gamut of alternative medicine, the Arogya Fair, jointly organised by the AYUSH, under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India and Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Orissa in association with the Confederation of Indian Industry, Orissa, kicked off at the IDCO Exhibition Ground here on Tuesday.

Inaugurating the four-day fair, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said, “Providing affordable treatment is a necessity today and AYUSH is the most plausible solution at hand. The efforts made by the organisers to make people aware of alternative medicine and its various therapies, besides providing opportunities to their practitioners to interact with the public and showcase their achievements is commendable. As many as 693 Ayurvedic hospitals, 560 Homeopathic clinics and 9 Unani centres are already existent in the state. At least 1400 doctors have been deployed in 314 blocks in the state where they can work along with the Allopathy doctors.
Furthermore, funds have been released for setting up more AYUSH units in the state. In the coming year, 9 new Unani hospitals will be set up and 22 Ayush inspectors to further enhance and improve the quality of services.” The Chief Minister also released five books on AYUSH treatment on the occasion.

Stressing the need for adoption of alternative medicine, Prasanna Acharya, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Government of Orissa, said,“The adoption of traditional systems and medicines for preventive and curative health services has become more relevant today than before. Besides exhibition of these kinds, there is a need for a lot of research to be taken up in these sectors.”

More than 120 stalls have been set up where practitioners of Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Sidhdha and Homeopathy are also offering free treatment. The exhibition intends to bring under its fold specialists of these unique healing practices and provide them a platform to interact with each other and also exhibit their products and achievements.

Among others present on the occasion were Dr (Prof.) Prasanna Patsani, Member of Parliament (LS); Ms Anu Garg, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare; Mr Raghunath Mohanty, Minister for Industries, Government of Orissa; Dr SK Panda, Joint Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India and Mr RK Jena, Vice Chairman, CII Orissa State Council.