Santhigiri Ashram goes national with new health care scheme

New Delhi, Apr 20 (UNI) Kerala-based Santhigiri Ashram is all set to take its health care scheme 'Karunyam' aimed at popularising traditional medicines to the national level.

A 15-year project has been planned to make India ''ailment-free'' by making indigenous medicines available at the doorstep, the Ashram authorities told a news conference here today.

After the launch of the first phase of the scheme in Calicut by former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin, the national launch will take place here in June, said Swami Gururethnam Jnana Thapaswi, Director of Santhigiri Ashram.

The Ashram, which has currently 700 branches in the country, wants to cover 80 million people in the scheme over a period of 15 years. The first phase, only for Kerala, will eventually cover 3 lakh people, said Swami Gururethnam.

Mobile clinics of the Ashram will visit villages to render free medical help and advice as well as propagate the need to preserve the wealth of knowledge of traditional medicines and medicinal plants, he added.

The scheme will also involve making India a health care destination and promoting the indigenous medicinal system of the country abroad, he said.

The scheme includes a plan to provide help to grow medicinal plants in home gardens, in campuses of schools and local institutions. ''This step will improve the environment,'' said Swami Gururethnam.

The 'Karunyam' project envisages setting up of one clinic in each block in a state supported by a district hospital and a state-level research centre.

Santhigiri Ashram bases its medical treatment on the belief that disease occur because of 'karma' (deeds of the past) and spirituality is the underlying principle of recovery.

The Ashram also plans to help the 'nattu vaidyans' (local practitioners of traditional medicine), who prescribe 'ottamooli' (a single drug therapy) for treating diseases, to document their wealth of knowledge of traditional medicine.

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