AIIA Signs MoU with Cuban Medical Varsity

PANAJI:
Scaling up efforts to promote Ayurveda across continents, All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Medical Sciences, Havana, Cuba, and extended the agreement with Rosenberg European Academy of Ayurveda (REAA), Germany, for five more years to take forward collaborative programmes in the traditional medicine system.

The agreements were signed on the sidelines of the 9th World Ayurveda Congress and Arogya Expo which began here on December 8.

The MoU with University of Medical Sciences, Havana, was signed between Cuban Ambassador to India Alejandro Simancas Marin and Dr Tanuja M Nesari, Director AIIA.

The extension of collaboration with REAA was initialled by Mr Mark Rosenberg, Director, REAA and Dr Nesari.

With these collaborations, AIIA, an autonomous organization under the Ministry of AYUSH, has 15 international partners and 35 national partners under its collaborative activities, Dr Nesari said.

“These partnerships come at a time when there is a big acceptance of Ayurveda and other traditional wellness systems the world over. The core objective is to promote advanced scientific research, evidence-based studies and clinical trials, exchange programmes and patient care,” said Prof Nesari.

AIIA has struck agreements with the best partners in the world including the Harvard Medical School. An agreement with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) has also been signed for clinical trials on the efficacy of ‘ashwagandha’( Withania somnifera) and ‘guruchi’ (Tinsopora cordifolia) in treating Long Covid, she said.

By entering into collaborations with leading institutions of the world, AIIA is seeking to promote futuristic Ayurveda by bringing a synergy between Traditional Wisdom and Modern tools and technology, Dr Nesari said.

Havana Medical University is the oldest medical education institution in Cuba under the Health Ministry of Cuba, imparting quality medical education, health care facilities and research.

AllA and European Academy of Ayurveda had entered into an MoU in September, 2017 with a validity of 5 years, which has been extended to 2027.

In the last five years, international symposia, workshops, special lectures and webinars had been organized under the partnership. Every year a group of scholars of REAA visited AIIA for hands on training in areas like Ayurveda dietetics and therapeutic procedures. Faculty from AIIA too visited the REAA and delivered lectures on different aspects of Ayurveda, and conducted workshop during the Annual Symposia of REAA.

A research project of preclinical and clinical study on evaluation of potential medicinal herbs Nirgundi (Genus Vitex agnus-castus L. from Germany and Vitex negundo L. from India) is under process.

REAA is a leading promoter of Ayurveda and traditional healthcare systems. It conducts training courses and seminars on Ayurvedic medicine, nutrition and herbal medicine, psychology and yoga. The academy boasts of leading scholars who have long years of professional experience and profound knowledge of the subject, besides having partnership with top universities and clinics in India.