Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, on Saturday addressed the meeting of Integrative Approach to Health and Wellbeing 2022 at Kanha Shanti Vanam and said that India believes in the ideology of Vasudaiva Kutumbakam, which talks about helping not just own countrymen, but also the people of the world.

“We sent medicines to 150 countries during the lockdown without hiking prices. The world realised that India would stand by the world during a crisis and India can be trusted,” said the Minister. Emphasising on the importance of health of citizens Mandaviya said, “Development is not just about infrastructure. Health must be the priority for citizens for the country to prosper. All our shastras have given importance for health and wellness and laid out a lifestyle mechanism around it.”

Even though a lot has been mentioned about physical well-being, not much is mentioned about mental well-being in our Shastras, he added, saying, “To keep our mental health good we need both family and social life. In India, we do not have many psychiatric diseases or related treatments written about in our shastras because we had a great lifestyle and social life. Our social life and patterns never let us to catch psychiatric diseases.”

Speaking about the research opportunities in India, the Minister said, “There is no shortage of brain or manpower in India. Research in integrative medicine, creating date base and developing new research are possible in this country.” He said that the Central government too is focusing on the Integrative Health and well-being of the citizens and is setting up 1,50,000 health and wellness center around the country. He also claimed that every medical college and hospital would have a division for integrative medicine and research. “We want to open up the research sector and encourage more research irrespective of the public or private sector so that anyone can do research in institutes like ICMR.

“We have to build our health sector and make our citizens healthy. Healthy citizens make a healthy society and it further leads to a prosperous state. I have faith that modern India will be a healthy and prosperous India, ” the minister said.