19 March 2019, Kathmandu
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health, Upendra Yadav, has said the government was positive to promote the Sowa Rigpa method of medical treatment as the main treatment system.
Sowa Rigpa method of treatment is believed to have propounded by the Gautam Buddha some 2,600 years ago.
DPM and Health Minister Yadav said this in a meeting with a delegation of the Sowa Rigpa Association Nepal at his office today. The delegation was led by the Association president Amchi Dr Tenzing Dharke Gurung (Guge).
Receiving a memorandum from the Association, DPM Yadav said the government has made provisions in the Health Act 2075 and various health-related policies to give importance to Sowa Rigpa system of medical treatment as an alternative and supplementary treatment method like it has recognized the homeopathic, naturopathy, yoga and acupuncture treatment practices.
Among other issues, the memorandum calls for mentioning Sowa Rigpa treatment system specifically in Article 51 of the constitution while making amendment to the constitution and like in the neighbouring countries for setting up alternative or supplementary medical council, department, hospital by incorporating Sowa Rigpa, homeopathic, naturopathy, yoga, acupuncture among others.
Similarly, the memorandum calls for establishing Sowa Rigpa Service Centres in all 77 districts including in the mountainous region, for launching public awareness programmes on this treatment practice in all the seven states and for issuing directives to the state governments to bring policies and programmes on this medicine practice.
President Gurung said that Sowa Rigpa traditional medical treatment system is more famous in the mountainous region of the country and it is expanding to various cities including Kathmandu. The number of people adopting this traditional system of health treatment is gradually increasing I the mountainous, hilly and Tarai regions.
As per the latest data, 90 per cent of the population in the mountainous region, 30 to 40 per cent of the population in the hilly region and 20 per cent of the population in the Tarai region is found using Sowa Rigpa medical treatment system. (Photo available)
