The 9th
World Ayurveda Congress (WAC) was kicked off on Thursday at Panaji, Goa, in the
presence of Union Minister of State for Tourism and Shipping, Ports and
Waterways Shripad Naik, Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant and Secretary, Ministry
of Ayush, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha. The international event aims to showcase the
efficacy and strength of the AYUSH systems of medicine at the global level.
“The AYUSH
has grown tremendously in the last eight years,” Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha said. In the country’s Covid-19 Pandemic management, the contributions of AYUSH have been immense. The Ministry of AYUSH executed an impact assessment study and found
that 89.9% of the Indian population has relied on AYUSH in some capacity for
Covid-19 prevention and treatment, he said.
Dr. Pramod
Sawant thanked the Union Government for giving the opportunity to host this
edition of the World Ayurveda Congress and Arogya Expo in Goa. Dr. Sawant said the
introduction of AYUSH visa for AYUSH treatment is a historic decision. The
upcoming satellite center of All India Institute of Ayurveda in Goa will boost
Ayurvedic tourism in the state, he added. He said the Goan students will get
50% reservation in admissions for various courses at the institute.
The third
edition of the ‘Ayushman’ comic book series was also released on this
occasion. An MoU was signed between the All
India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) and Rosenberg’s European Academy of
Ayurveda, Germany, to facilitate advanced studies in traditional Indian
medicine systems.
The 9th
World Ayurveda Congress & Arogya Expo 2022 is being organized in Goa from 8
to 11 December with the objective of providing a global platform for all the
stakeholders, including industry leaders, practitioners, traditional healers,
educationists, students, medicine manufacturers, growers of medicinal plants
and marketing strategists, for networking and engaging in intellectual exchange
to strengthen the Ayurveda sector, envision its future, and facilitate
interaction between professionals and consumers to boost Ayurveda commerce.
The market
size of the AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy)
sector in the country has grown from USD 3 billion in 2014 to over USD 18
billion now, clocking a phenomenal growth of six times. During 2014-2020, the
AYUSH industry grew 17 percent year-on-year while the Ayurveda market is
predicted to grow at 15 percent CAGR from 2021 to 2026.
Over 4500
participants from all over the world, including 400 foreign delegates from 53
countries, are participating in the event. The Arogya Expo is set to witness the participation of more than 215 companies, leading Ayurveda brands, medicine
manufacturers, and Ayurveda-related educational and Research & Development
institutions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend the
valedictory function of WAC on December 11.
Ayurveda & Health Tourism Magazine is the media partner of the four-day event.
