Sowa Rigpa medical system has necessitated the need to improve the standard of Tibetan medicine

DHARAMSHALA: The health Minister of Tibetan Government in Exile said the Indian government's recognition of the traditional Sowa Rigpa medical system has necessitated the need to improve the standard of Tibetan medicine.

The Indian Parliament passed a legislation to bring Sowa-Rigpa into the country's mainstream medical system in 2010. The bill aims to ensure protection and preservation of this ancient system of medicine and will help its propagation and development.

Addressing the 7th founding anniversary of the Central Council of Tibetan Medicine in Dharamsala yesterday, Health Kalon Chope Paljor Tsering called on the council to ensure standard quality of Tibetan medicine. “One of the most important function of the council is to conduct proper inspection of production units to ensure the use of standard medicinal ingredients,” he said.

He called on the council to conduct quality check of manufacturing units owned by private physicians. “The traditional Tibetan medicine or Sowa Rigpa is considered as one of the world's recognised medicine systems and it is of paramount importance to maintain this recognition. The role of the council to check the quality of medicines manufactured by private medical practitioners would be very essential. In case the private-owned units fail to meet the mandatory ingredients, the council should frame criteria to withhold registration,” the health kalon said.He underlined the need to check and improve the efficacy of Tibetan medicine. “The Tibetan medicine is different from the allopathic ones as it is a holistic approach to the whole body, speech and mind aspects of human afflictions. So it is very important to improve the efficacies of the medicines, particularly to check whether they contain the spiritual components as one the necessary ingredients,” he added.

The members of the council and its registered members must work together to sustain the recognition accorded to the Sowa Rigpa medical system by the Indian government, he said.

Praising Men-Tsee Khang for extending support to the council, he said if there are proposals for improving the standard of Tibetan medical system, the Kashag and health department would look into it.

Che-Thoe Men-Pai Lhen-Tsog or the Central Council of Tibetan Medicine based in Dharamsala, which is the apex body of all
the traditional Tibetan medicine practitioners.

The council was established on 5 January 2004 under the provisions of the “Exile Tibetan Doctor's Association Act - 2003” which was passed by the 13th Assembly of the Tibetan People’s Deputies. There are currently 384 Tibetan medical practitioners registered under the council.