Conference sheds light on need to bridge gap between traditional, modern medicines

An international conference on traditional and alternative medicine, hosted by the Department of Biochemistry, St Thomas College in Palai, contemplated integrating traditional wisdom into the contemporary healthcare system.

Padma Shri Vaidya Balendu Prakash, the physician of former President K R Narayanan, inaugurated the conference. Balendu Prakash emphasised the role played by traditional medicine, such as Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani, especially in chronic disease management and preventive care.

Dr Ratheesh M, convener of the conference and assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry, St Thomas College, Palai, said the event's objective was to bridge the gap between traditional wisdom and modern scientific advancements.

Anthropologist Dr Roonie Moore from University College, Dublin, Dr Valdis Pirags from Latvia, and Dr Tashi Dawa from Tibet were among the international speakers at the conference. Academicians from traditional and modern healthcare sectors also presented papers on the outcomes of their research on the importance of integrated therapeutic strategies for healthcare practice.

The conference concluded that traditional medicine holds untapped potential that, combined with modern scientific research, can lead to groundbreaking healthcare solutions.