Shillong Nov 27: As part of the ongoing training program in various parts of Meghalaya, more than 54 selected traditional private health care service providers in Nongpoh area, Ri-Bhoi District, comprising of traditional village healers and birth attendants from 23 villages, Lumdieng, Umpyrdong, Diwon, Sohtad, Umkon, Mawiong, Kuswai, Umjong, Iewmawlong, Umshaken, 20 mer, Umdap, Mawphrew, Umwang, Borkhatsari, Marngar, Umsakait, Umshit, Plasha Nongbah, Umlakhar, Nongkya, Nongpoh, and Pahamsyiem Village members of SPIKAP, Meghalaya were imparted training on the dreaded Malaria and how on preventive steps necessary to control the spread of Malaria in a one day training awarness, arranged by Futures Group International India Pvt Ltd, (Caritas-India), in collaboration with – ( Dept of Health- Malaria) Govt of Meghalaya and the Society for Promotion of Indigenous Knowledge and Practices (SPIKAP), from 9.30 am up to 3 pm, on 27, November, 2013, in the Dorbar Hall, Nongpoh Proper, Ri-Bhoi District.
The healers expressed their gratitude to the organizers, and expressed their keen interest in collaborating with the Health Dept, in the areas of health care for the benefit of the people in the remote rural areas, especially on the issue of Malaria which is still prevalent in the Ri-Bhoi areas.
During the open session the healers expressed their anguish as to the scarcity of valuable herbs largely due to increase in population and the human activities, and urged the Chiarman, SPIKAP to take up the matter with the Traditional Chiefs at the Village, Raid and Hima level, so as to engage them in regeneration of herbal plants in the Private Forest, Sacred Forest, Village Forest, Raid Forest, and Hima/Elaka Forest and hoped that the village chiefs would respond to such an important issue.
During the open session of the training program, while addressing the traditional indigenous village healers of Nongpoh area, Bah John F Kharshiing, Co-Chairman, Meghalaya State Planning Board, & Chairman, SPIKAP, thanked the NGO’s and the Village Chiefs for facilitating the meeting, including the Health Dept for coming forward in such an innovative engagement with the formal and informal health care practitioners, and stated that there is urgent need for the Village Chiefs to discuss availability of herbs in the Village Dorbar Shnong, and to have interactions with the traditional village healers, bone setters and birth attendants who compliment health care in the rural areas.
He stated that there is urgent need for the Department of Environment & Forest, including the State Medicinal Plant Board, to review their objectives and to engage traditional authorities, the Private Forest owners, Sacred Forest, Village Forest, Raid Forest, and Hima/Elaka Forest administrators to promote conservation, regeneration, and plantation and creation of nurseries of valuable traditional herbs in the various categories of forest in Meghalaya.
In view of the fact that today scarcity is a reality of the medicinal herbs faced by the traditional healers in Nongpoh Area. Steps must be taken now less they become extinct and unavailable for future generations. Elders and village heads of the area also spoke during the open session.(SP News)
