WWW Virtual Library - Sri Lanka
Traditional Medicine in Sri Lanka
(@ APTMNET) From ancient times Sri Lanka had a reasonably developed health care and delivery system to cater to the needs of the population. The ancient chronicle of the country ( Mahawansa) tells of a hospital that was established in the capital city in the 4th century B.C.. Ancient ruins of hospitals have been discovered in the then capital cities of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. Ancient surgical instruments have been recovered which indicates the system of surgery that has existed. The system of treatment that existed in those times is called ? Desheeya Chikithsa ? From that time onwards the purely indigenous system of medicine has been alive but it has been influenced by Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani which have been introduced to Sri Lanka.
Ayurveda is a system of medicine that has developed in India from 4500 B.C. and introduced to Sri Lanka in 2500 B.C.. This system of medicine was originated by Ancient Irshi (wise men) and views diseases as a state of imbalance of air, bile and phlegm.
Siddha system of medicine originated in South India and depends largely on minerals for the treatment of diseases against the accent given to herbs in Ayurvedic system The Unani system of medicine originated in Greece and was developed by Arabian scientists. This was introduced to Sri Lanka through the Arabian traders. These systems of medicine served the needs of the people before the advent of western powers from 15th century until the country gained independence in 1948
1.1 Development of Traditional Medicine in the country
It is with the advent of Britishers who came to Sri Lanka in 1796 that western system of medicine was introduced and in 1948 when the country gained independence the allopathic system was predominant. The resurgence of Indigenous system of medicine was spear headed by the freedom fighters. 1n 1926 the constitutional assembly established a committee to attend to Indigenous system of medicine and in 1929 a hospital was established in Colombo. In 1957 a separate department was established to promote Ayurveda.
Next important landmark was the enactment of Ayurveda Act. In 1961 which accepted indigenous system of medicine as a parallel system of medicine in the health care of the population . The next most important development was the creation of a separate Cabinet ministry on 19th Oct. 2000 for the promotion or indigenous medicine
1.2 Traditional medicine hospitals/dispensaries
1.2.1 Indigenous medicine Health Institutions and facilities
Category Government Provincial Council Local Authorities
Hospitals 346 -
Central Dispensaries 01123 -
Free Ayurveda dispensaries - - 230
1.3 Education and institutions of TM including no. of students
1.3.1 Institute for Indigenous Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka
No. of students admitted annually Ayurveda 75 , Unani 25
1.3.2 Gampaha Wickremaarachchi Ayurveda Institute University of Kelaniya,
No. of students admitted annually Ayurveda 50
1.3.3 Dept of Siddha Medicine, University of Jaffna
No. of students admitted annually 25
1.3.4 National Institute of Traditional medicine (NITM) , Nawinna
1.4 Basic information on scientific and technical research institutions involved
in various activities on traditional medicine.
• Bandaranayake Memorial Ayurvedic Research Institute (BMARI) Involved in clinical, evaluation of safety and efficacy of traditional drugs, agronomic research and quality control of traditional medicine
• Institute of Indigenous medicine, University of Colombo
• Gampaha Wickremaarachchi Ayurveda Institute and Dept. of Biochemistry. University of Gampaha
• University of Sri Jayawardenepura
• National Institute of Traditional Medicine - Involved in updating the knowledge of traditional practitioners (8 lecturers)
• Industrial Technology Institute ? Involved in quality control of traditional medicines, clinical trials, research and development work on medicinal plants used in traditional medicine. ( 5 officers)
1.5 Information on publications
Following books, journals, news letters are published by various institutes dealing with traditional medicine. Most of the publications are in Sinhalese
Samarpana - BMARI
Mehewara - NITM
Ayurveda Udanaya - NITM
Ayurveda Sameeksha - Dept. of Ayurveda
Ayurveda Pradeepica - Dept. of Ayurveda
Ayurveda Udanaya - Dept of Ayurveda
Athbehet - Dept. of Ayurveda
Compendium of Medicinal Plants - A Sri Lankan study , Dept. of Ayurveda Deepani publication
Sri Lanka Aushada palati
Talpat piliyam
Osuturu visuturu
1.6 Information on pharmacopoeia/National formulary of TM
Pharmacopoea of Ayurveda
Pharmacopoea of Unani
1.7 Basic information on enterprises of traditional medicine and herbal drug production.
Around 104 Ayurveda drug manufacturers have registered with the Department of Ayurveda for the production of traditional drugs. In addition to this most of the traditional physicians prepare by them selves the drugs they need for their patients who visit their clinic
(@ APTMNET)