The Indian Traditional Sciences, including Ayurveda and Yoga, are the answer to reducing the healthcare gap in the UK, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Indian Traditional Sciences, Virendra Sharma, has said.

“The mainstream medical model of the UK has neither the capacity nor resources to help those who are not sick enough to need a hospital, nor well enough to be functioning members of society. This gap in healthcare leads to increased rates of mental health problems, broken homes, and a deserted workforce,” Sharma, the MP for Ealing Southall, said.

He was speaking during the celebration of the 8th International Yoga Day (June 21) by the APPG. On the occasion, an international online conference featuring Parliamentarians, doctors, Yoga teachers, Jyotish experts, Ayurvedic experts, consultant surgeons, representatives of universities and medical institutes, and other luminaries from the UK and around the world, was held.

The topics for discussion mainly included how practical technologies and approaches of Yoga, Ayurveda, and other modalities have proved highly effective in preventing illness, restoring health, and bringing peace and happiness to the individual and society.

The latest research results were presented, along with proposals for future investigations. Agreements were reached between delegates to collaborate on breakthrough medical research projects. Exchange visits by delegates between the UK and Japan and the UK and Austria were agreed to follow-up on important advances in healthcare.

The APPG will expedite a series of meetings with Parliamentarians in both the UK House of Commons and the House of Lords, in order to consolidate proposals for wellness programs and preventative health care education in collaboration with the UK health services.

The APPG for Indian Traditional Sciences aims to promote parliamentary and public understanding of Indian Traditional Sciences (Ayurveda, Yoga, Jyotish, Vastu, Unani and Sangeetam) in the UK and abroad, and to expand and integrate Medical Pluralism in the National Health Service.