AYURVEDA
The
Kerala System of Ayurvedic treatment developed in its own
lines through the patronage of ruling princes and the selfless
of devotion of the Ashta Vaidyans. It has developed into
a full fledged system of treatment with its unique characteristics.
A very large section of rural folk of Kerala still depend
solely upon Ayurveda. Pizhichil, Njawarakizhi etc are a
few of the Kriya Karmas developed in its own style in Kerala.
Along with the widespread infrastructure in modern medicine
in Kerala, there are 108 Ayurveda Hospitals with 2349 beds
and 587 dispensaries under Government sector. The growth
of institutions from 1986 to 1996 is given below
Number
of Ayurveda hospitals and dispensaries over the years.
| Year |
Ayurveda
Hospitals |
Ayurveda
dispensaries |
| 1986 |
96 |
473 |
| 1990 |
101 |
505 |
| 1991 |
106 |
527 |
| 1992 |
106 |
550 |
| 1993 |
107 |
566 |
| 1994 |
107 |
582 |
| 1995 |
108 |
587 |
| 1996 |
108 |
587 |
On
an average in Government Ayurvedic Institutions about 13.5
lakhs persons are treated as out patients and over 23,500
as in patient every year.
According to a survey conducted in 1995, there were 4922
Ayurvedic Institutions with 2529 beds in the private sector.
Ayurvedic
Education
Though Ayurveda education has been organised scientifically
in this century, it has a long history in Kerala. About
105 years ago an Ayurvedic school was started in Thiruvananthapuram
by the Maharaja of Travancore for teaching Ayurveda to the
members of the ruling family. The Institute was taken over
by the State and in 1918 the school was upgraded as a college,
the duration of the course being 5 years. The Department
of Indian System of Medicine was started with 2 main units,
one for Ayurvedic education and the other for treatment
of the public. The Director of Indian System of Medicine
was functioning as the Head of the Department till 1979
and then the Ayurveda Colleges were separated as independent
department.
There are 5 Ayurveda colleges in the state with an annual
intake of 50 students in Thiruvananthapuram. Ayurveda college
and 30 each in Trippunithara, Kannur, Kottakal and private
Ayurveda colleges for BAMS course. MD course is offered
only in the college at Thiruvananthapuram and its annual
intake is 42.
