ICMR Planning To Acquire Patents Of Traditional Healing Techniques For Andaman Tribals
Author:
First published in Sanctuary Asia,
Vol. 31
No. 7,
July 2011
ICMR's Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) is preparing a unique Community Biodiversity Register (CBDR) for the tribals of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands that will document their traditional healing practices, use of medicinal plants, healing record, mode of preparation of plants' parts and number of patients treated.
Scientists have travelled to 11 of the 15 villages of the Car Nicobar Island, inhabited by the ancient Nicobarese tribe, documenting the use of 124 medicinal plants that are being prescribed to cure 34 different diseases. They have also interviewed 42 Traditional Knowledge Persons (TKP)/folk healers for the project, which is estimated to cost over Rs 38 lakh. Read the full report here.
Source: Kounteya Sinha, TNN, Port Blair.
