Health and Family Welfare Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh on Tuesday inaugurated the Meghalaya Traditional Healing Clinic (MTHC) at Pahamsyiem, Nongpoh in Ri Bhoi district.
Addressing the occasion, Lyngdoh informed that the Centre has funded a total amount of Rs 25,89, 117 for construction of the MTHC till date and have sanctioned Rs 8,63,039 each to the Traditional Healers Associations in Ri-Bhoi, West Garo Hills and West Khasi Hills Districts.
She said post-construction, the MTHC at Pahamsyiem was handed over to the President/Secretary of the Ri-Bhoi Traditional Healers Association, Nongpoh on the January 21, 2023 and the contribution on basic amenities and treatment facilities for the Clinic have been provided by the Ri-Bhoi Traditional Healers Association.
“The working modality and business model of the Clinic have been prepared by the Association and till date the number of patients visiting the Clinic is about 4000, making a profit of about Rs 2 lakh for the Association,” she said.
The minister said that the primary objective of the clinic is to popularize and strengthen the traditional healing system of the State by promoting this ancient/traditional healthcare therapy and bringing the State of Meghalaya in the limelight of the national map of health tourism where tourists will visit the State not only for its scenic beauty but to seek relaxation of body, mind and soul.
She also said that the concept of Meghalaya Traditional Healing Clinic was conceived to serve as a Common facility Centre for the Traditional Healers across the district to provide their services and dispense their herbal formulations through a single platform.
“Apart from the conventional way of treatment practices are well-known for their inherited knowledge and wisdom of massage therapy popularly known as the Khasi Traditional Massage,” she said while adding “The traditional massage is a thriving business both in urban and rural areas and has the potential to be taken up for integration into public healthcare sector and to be promoted as health tourism for economic development and livelihood promotion at districts especially in tourist spots in line with the home-stays.”
“These traditional healing clinics will serve as a medium to popularise this healing practices whereby the Traditional Healers themselves will manage and run these clinics in a sustainable/business model. Besides, showering and dispensing their practices, these clinics will also be used as a training facility for willing unemployed youths in further value addition of the herbal formulations,” she added.
Further, the minister informed that the construction of the MTHC at Nongstoin in West Khasi Hills is completed and further consultation with the association in working out the modality of operating the Clinic is in progress.
In Tura, the clinic is under construction in collaboration with the Meghalaya Samachik Association, Tura, West Garo Hills. The location and site for the Clinic is Rongbakgre adjacent to the Samachik Sikman hospital, a traditional healing hospital managed by the Association.
In South West Khasi Hills district, the proposal for construction of the Clinic is underway in consultation with the Seng Nongai Dawai Khasi Nylla, Mawkyrwat, she said while adding that the site location has been identified by the Association at Mawmerang, Mawkyrwat.
+ There are no comments
Add yours