Correspondent

Nongpoh, Oct 3: Health and Family Welfare Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh today inaugurated the Meghalaya Traditional Healing Clinic marking the beginning of a long-awaited clinic dedicated to preserving and reviving traditional healing practices.

The clinic was funded at Rs 8 lakhs by the Bio-Resources Development Center and is managed by the Ri-Bhoi Traditional Healing Association.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Mayral Born Syiem, MLA Nongpoh, Dr C Lyngdoh, MLA Umsning; Balajied Ranee, MDC Nongpoh, Gunanka DB, Joint Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya, Planning Department, who is also a member secretary of BRDC Shillong, Dr Junie P Lyngdoh, Senior Scientist at BRDC, along with traditional healers from Ri Khasi, Jaintia, and different sub-circles from Ri-Bhoi.

Expressing happiness, Jasper Manih, President of the RBTHA said that the clinic will be catering to various types of treatment and healing with the use of medicines mainly sourced from plants and it has no side effects.

Manih also mentioned that the association has already started a nursery for medicinal plants and is working diligently to protect those found in the forest, ensuring accessibility for future generations.

The chief guest, Dr Ampareen Lyngdoh said that the inauguration of this clinic is a significant moment for traditional healers. She stressed the need to revive these traditional healing practices in the state, especially as some people, particularly in urban areas, tend to forget them and consult professional doctors in hospitals.

Further, she highlighted Meghalaya's abundance of different types of medicinal plants and the necessity for certification, recognition, and standardized operating procedures with good hygiene for these healing practices.

She underscored that this ancient knowledge passed down from our forefathers, should not be forgotten but instead revived and preserved, as it possesses unique insights for curing various diseases.