Jowai, Dec 09: The Traditional Medicine Practitioners (TMP) under the banner of the Jaintia Indigenous Medicine Association (JIMA) requested the Chief Executive Member of the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) to recognize herbal medicine practice in the district. Dr C.H. Pakyntein president of JIMA was speaking at the Exhibition on Local Health Tradition (LHT) and Medicinal Plants which was held at Tympang play ground Jowai on the 6 and 7 of December 2013. Dr Pakyntein also said that the TMP or the Alternative Medicine Practitioners (AMP) in the district were not only neglected by the District Council which is yet to recognize them, but they are also yet to receive any support from the government.
We are also collaborating with young students who are studying Pharmacognosy who are currently researching some of the plants that we use to make medicine said Dr Pakyntein. These are young people from the state who are doing their PhD studies on these plants said Dr Pakyntein.
Dr Pakyntein was also concern about the loss of medicinal plants because of the wanton destruction of the forest in the district. He said “all our medicines we use come from the forest but I am afraid we have lost about 50 percent of the plants because everyday forest cover in the district is gradually being reduced.”
Dr Pakyntein said this in his speech at the Exhibition on Local Health Tradition (LHT) and Medicinal Plants organized by The Meghalaya Awareness Society for Communication (MASCOM) which is also being supported by the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, West Jaintia Hills District, Meghalaya.
MB Rymbai Chief Executive Member of the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council who was the chief guest at the function promised to look into the demand if he came to power after the ensuing DC election.
More than 20 AMP took part in the exhibition to showcase the traditional knowledge on medicine and medicinal plants of Meghalaya in general and Jaintia Hills in particular. The exhibition has also serve as a platform for the Local Health Tradition Practitioners (LHTPs) to not only showcase their services and products but also to learn from interactions with Government agencies and the public.
Apart from the Alternative Medicine Practitioners, Government departments like the district social forestry west Jaintia hills also took part and exhibited medicinal plants the department is growing in its hub in the Amlarem subdivision. JIMA which has membership of over 40 is also planning to petition the JHADC to request for recognition by the JHADC.(SP News)
