IMPHAL, June 4: In an order to promote and conserve the practices of the traditional healers in north east India, a website will be launched within a shortest possible time, the officials of Anthropos Foundation India (AIF), New Delhi said.
�The idea is to create a platform for the traditional healers by developing their profiles with achievements etc so that we can take forward the issue for better understanding and development,� said founder chairperson Dr Sunita Reddy of AIF, adding, �the goal is to go beyond documentation and give recognition to the traditional healing practitioners.�
AIF is currently undergoing a study on folk and tribal healing practices in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Manipur which houses many folk and traditional healers. A number of folk and traditional healers including around 20 from Manipur are registered for the initiative.
She also observed that the contributions of traditional healers to the primary healthcare system can be channelised if the authorities concerned develop healers� huts and herbal gardens at the village panchayat levels.
Considering the importance of conserving the traditional knowledge on various forms of indigenous healing practices which are widely being used in the rural areas in northeast states, director and head Dr Ramesh Gaur of Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, (IGNCA) New Delhi also expressed his desire to hold theme based discussion or workshop on development of indigenous healing practices by inviting local healers, in New Delhi.
Dr Gaur was here to attend a day long �National Workshop on Folk and Indigenous practices in Manipur: Healers Voice� at Manipur University on Monday. The workshop was held under the aegis of Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, MU in collaboration with the AIF and IGNCA with an objective to go beyond documenting and to promote and support folk healing practitioners in Manipur.Nearly 70 per cent of the population in rural areas of Manipur are still dependent on traditional medicines.
