Indians Celebrate 7th Ayurveda Day, Unveils Happiness Centre for Health Services In Lagos

GIVEN the rising challenge in Nigeria’s health sector, an Indian entrepreneur, Akshay Jain, saw the need to set up a clinic called Happiness Centre in Lagos, to offer health services in line with the Ayurveda medicine system.

On the occasion of 7th Ayurveda Day celebration which was held on Tuesday, November 2, the Happiness Centre in collaboration with the office of High Commission of India in Lagos, organised a seminar to introduce the Ayurveda medicine system in Nigeria.

During the seminar, Shri Rachit Rawat, First Secretary, Indian High Commission, Lagos, Nigeria, said the Ayurveda day is marked in India every year to celebrate the Lord of Health in the country.

Rawat stated that the government of India was focused on improving the nutritional status of the people, thereby improving their health as part of its dividend of democracy to them, and in doing that its ministry of health promotes indigenous medicine systems including traditional/alternative medicine system which Ayurveda is one of them.

Rawat revealed that Ayurveda Day is set aside in India to promote a sense of awareness especially in today’s generation about Ayurvedic principles of healing sicknesses in society.

The diplomat further noted that India and Nigeria are large countries in their respective continents and consequently have huge responsibility taking care of the health needs of the people especially the younger population by ensuring that they get the right food and nutrition for healthy living which is part of what Ayurveda is promoting.

Ayurveda, meaning “science of life”, is an alternative medicine system that has been in existence for over 5, 000 years originating from India. It is acclaimed to be one of the best traditional medicine systems in India. It is heavily practiced both in India and Nepal.

Presenting the seminar titled, ‘Introduction to Ayurveda’, a practitioner of Ayurvedic medicine, Dr. Nibin Nirmalan, said Ayurveda system sees health from a holistic approach, complete wellbeing of body, mind, and spirit.

Dr Nirmalan described Ayurvedic principles, human body constitution, and how they relate to their principle of healing, the manifestation of diseases and diagnosis, prevention and cure with Ayurveda medicines, and the role of breathwork and meditation for healthy living.

The medical expert informed that Ayurveda is a non-invasive method that helps to accurately diagnose physical, mental and emotional conditions of human body system, adding that it also promotes healthy living through advocating good dietary habits and lifestyle.

Nirmalan highlighted healing therapies administered in the Ayurveda system to include the use of herbal medicines, advising on special diets, meditation, yoga, massage, laxatives, enemas, and medical oils for the treatment of different body illnesses/conditions.

He hinted that they also adopt some surgical techniques or procedures to tackle some ailments depending on what their diagnosis revealed.

The Ayurveda principle of health system promotes a healthy lifestyle that is in line with one of the Buddha’s philosophies about health which says: “Our life is shaped by our mind, for we become what we think.”