Globalization of Ayurveda

 1.9 Globalization of Ayurveda 

Globalization of Ayurveda has gained momentum. Many active groups have been formed in many parts of the world, including developed countries, to spread the concept and practice of Ayurveda. This is due primarily to the following three reasons: (1) the holistic approach advocated by Ayurveda in therapeutic practice, (2) it has one of the most extensive and profound conceptual bases among the TMSs of the world, and (3) its survival for more than 2 millennium as a vibrant medical system. It is believed that Ayurveda has the potential to develop into a global health-care system. 

The first requirement is to undertake globalization of Ayurvedic education to generate high-quality, competent manpower with the requisite communication skills to teach the principles and practice of the system. There is a requirement to start introductory, short and long-term courses as per the local requirement and situation in different parts of the world. It is also necessary to start similar types of courses in the premier Ayurvedic institutes in India. Some universities have already taken a step in this direction by starting short- and long-term courses under its International Center for Ayurvedic Studies. Another important requirement is to translate important Ayurvedic literature to major international languages. 

The second requirement is to globalize Ayurvedic practice and marketing of Ayurvedic drugs. There are many obstacles to achieve this, especially in the developed countries. The laws regulating these aspects are quite rigid and a lot of time, effort, and finance will be required to comply with them. They do not take into consideration the conceptual uniqueness of Ayurveda. A two-pronged strategy is required to overcome this problem. The first one is to undertake multicenter collaborative studies on internationally acceptable guidelines to prove therapeutic utility and safety of Ayurvedic drugs and practices. The second one is to establish Ayurvedic clinics and hospitals in countries where there is no such barrier. Standardization of Ayurvedic drugs and formulations should be given top priority — without this it would not be possible to promote the utilization of Ayurvedic drugs at the global level. Another aspect needs to be taken into consideration is the possibility of existence of constitutional differences among different races and communities as per the concepts of Ayurveda. Also, it would be necessary to explore the possibility of utilization and integration of locally available flora into Ayurvedic practice of the particular country or region. 

Facilities have been established in many countries to impart short- and long-term training in Ayurveda. Such facilities are available in the U.S., Argentina, Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, South Africa, Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, Hungary, the Netherlands, Russia, U.K., Israel, Japan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.

Soure: Lakshmi chandra Mishra, scientific Basis for Ayurvedic Therapies; 2004 by CRC Press LLC