Kansa to be produced locally for herbal medicines: Rajitha

31 January 2017 08:04 pm - 14 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The Ayurvedic Department is to launch a project to legally grow Kansa on a large scale and import Opium from India to be used in producing medicinal drugs, Health and Indigenous Medicine Minister Rajitha Senaratne said today.

He said he hoped the Maha Sangha would not oppose this plan because Kansa and Opium would be used only for the production of medicinal drugs under strict supervision.

The minister said this when participating at a BMICH ceremony to launch the latest Ayurvedic products by the well-known company 'Prana Jeewa', which manufactures and exports Ayurvedic drugs. He said the new trend among people worldwide was to turn to herbal medicine which had little or no side effects.

“In 2016, the global indigenous drugs market was worth US$54 billion but it will triple in the next three years. Though Western medicine has dominated many parts of the world, the herbal or indigenous medicine play a big role in treating disease in highly advanced countries like India, China and Korea,” the minister said.

He said in Kerala some 80% of the people turn to indigenous or Ayurvedic medicine while during the Anuradhapura era, the population population was healthy and diagnosis and treatment were solely based on traditional medicinal system.

The minister said the latest method of treatment in the world is gene therapy with the treatment being done targeting the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) of a patient and the US has achieved much progress in this field with some 95% of western medicinal drugs being manufactured using herbal products.

He commended the initiative taken by Prana Jeewa Products Chairman Dr. Sujeewa Withange for taking the Sri Lanka indigenous products to the global market.

The minister said patents for a large number of our herbal plants have been obtained by foreign companies without any benefit to Sri Lanka and therefore, a mechanism must be put in place to protect our traditional medicinal products and herbal plants.

He said an international Ayurvedic Conerence torganized by the Health and Indigenous Medicine Ministry will be held in Sri Lanka in November and it would address many pressing issues and problems facing the Ayurvedic medical system of the country.

Ven Ittapane Dhammalankara Nayaka Thera and Dr. Danister De Silva also spoke. (Sandun A Jayasekera)

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Comments - 14

Hureh Tuesday, 31 January 2017 08:29 PM

Hureh !!!!!! Yahapalanayata Jaya Wewa

Jonson Tuesday, 31 January 2017 08:33 PM

Coconut was introduced to food category but now its very popular as poll raa like wise Etthanol via DM Android App

Jimmy Wednesday, 01 February 2017 02:56 AM

We have such a small population why grow Ganja, easier to bring a small quantity from India. wheres the hidden hand? where is the money? and why are you doing this?...

MBBS (Non SAITM ) Wednesday, 01 February 2017 05:05 AM

We Sri Lankans deserves ayou as a health minister

Manithan Wednesday, 01 February 2017 05:59 AM

very good move .Many reasearches had confirmed that his herb is useful in treating glucoma and unresponding paediatric epilepsy. TEVA of israel is already marketing an inhaler of this drug in USA.GW pharmaceutical had positive clinical trial results on paediatric epilepsy.Time to come this can be an export earner.Lets not view everything negatively.More over it is was discivered and used in ayervedic medicine by our people.

Ajith Wednesday, 01 February 2017 07:25 AM

Even snake venom is used to make anti venom medicine. Any bad thing has some good if used proper. If Kansa can be used for medicinal purposes, why not? Only thing is to have proper strict controls. Said that, its not possible to control it 100% though. That's the way of human being.

Eds Wednesday, 01 February 2017 09:50 AM

Another YP promise broken : Soldiers shall not be employed for construction or agricultural work or anything other than military duties!Besides this is a total recipe for a huge social disaster : Armed, trained, Idling soldiers trained for combat growing and having access to canabis - the underworld must be grinning impatiently !

Praba Wednesday, 01 February 2017 09:52 AM

Cannabis increase the risk of Psychosis by 6 fold

vt Wednesday, 01 February 2017 10:02 AM

Lets make SL another Reggae town.

Mohamed Wednesday, 01 February 2017 01:16 PM

Better to promote walla patta cultivation could get better income from export. Kansa if small quantity needed better to import instead of producing here. via DM Android App

ceylon Wednesday, 01 February 2017 02:05 PM

confused.maha sanga not opposed presently kudu is available like teamaha sanga not opposed for it . via DM Android App

S kumara Wednesday, 01 February 2017 02:54 PM

Looks like this man have had few extra puff of kansa. If you follow some of the comments he make at press briefings you can judge your self

ceylon Wednesday, 01 February 2017 05:57 PM

all plants are meficines if use wisely. via DM Android App

Sumith Friday, 03 February 2017 08:00 AM

Yeah and increase the risk of schizophrenia :/

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Kansa to be produced locally for herbal medicines: Rajitha

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