Germans fall for ayurveda

KOCHI: The Germans are coming to study ayurveda from its masters in Kerala and get healed with the traditional system of medicine.

The third batch of students from the Chair of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University Duisburg-Essen, will start their second phase of ayurveda course at Arya Vaidya Sala (AVS) Ayurveda College, Kottakkal, on Monday as per a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two institutions.

Simultaneously, a delegation from the university began a tour of the PNNM Ayurveda Medical College, Cheruthuruthi, on Tuesday for a collaborative clinical research project for the effective management of psoriasis.

Dr. Thomas Rampp, assistant director of the chair, and Dr. Syal Kumar, HoD, department of Indian medicine at the university led the contingents to the two institutions.

Five students from Germany will study at AVS Ayurveda College as part of the collaborative programme.

"The Germans, including medical professionals, are realising the need of traditional medical system for their health management. The ayurvedic system has proved its role in tackling chronic diseases successfully," said Dr. Rampp at the inauguration of the programme for the third batch at AVS Ayurveda College.

He also said that the previous batch was happy to learn ayurveda from the authentic and very old institution.

"Students arriving from Germany are keen on getting advanced clinical training in renowned colleges in India. They want to observe the system in its homeland and like to integrate the ayurvedic system of treatment in their clinics," said Dr. Syal Kumar.  AVS Ayurveda College principal Dr C.V. Jayadevan was also present at the function.

"Many researches in the field of complementary medicine have been carried out at the Chair in the last 20 years along with patient management for chronic diseases. We will provide financial and technical support to the clinical research on psoriasis to be undertaken at PNNM Ayurveda Medical College," said Dr. Rampp after visiting the medical college.

"The project has been approved by the ethics committee of the college and by the Kerala University of Health Sciences," said Dr Syal Kumar who along with Dr Rampp inspected the research department at PNNM and advised the research team. College principal Dr Eswarasarma was present.

Dr Rampp stressed the need for quality research in ayurveda and publishing papers in international journals to expose traditional medicine to the western world.