Sikkim Health Minister G.T. Dhungel has reiterated the state government’s strong commitment to promoting AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy), highlighting the state’s rich biodiversity and abundance of medicinal plants as key strengths in advancing traditional healthcare systems.
Addressing the media, Dhungel noted, “Though Sikkim is a small state, it is endowed with a vast diversity of medicinal flora, which makes AYUSH especially relevant here. The government is fully committed to expanding and strengthening AYUSH services.”
He further stated that the state will take all necessary measures to enhance access to traditional systems of medicine and integrate them more effectively into healthcare delivery. “With Prime Minister Narendra Modi actively promoting AYUSH at the national level, Sikkim is poised to play a significant role in this mission,” he said.
As part of these efforts, Dhungel recently met with Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary of the Ministry of AYUSH, in New Delhi on July 11. The meeting focused on building a robust AYUSH infrastructure in the state through institutional collaboration and policy support.
The discussion also included the possibility of establishing a dedicated AYUSH department in Sikkim and strengthening the sector through targeted resource mobilisation.
Dhungel was accompanied by Suchitra Rasaily, Secretary of AYUSH, Government of Sikkim, and Sanjay Singh, Additional Chief Engineer from the state Health Department.