INSTITUTIONAL AGENDA:

The institutional agenda of the Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT) is derived from its vision: "enhancing the quality of medical relief and healthcare in rural and urban India and globally by creative application of our rich medical practices, action oriented research, education, training and Community services based on India's Traditional Health Sciences" and thus revitalize Indian medical heritage".

FRLHT has identified three thrust areas to fulfill this vision. These are:

i)  Demonstrating contemporary relevance of theory and practice of Indian Systems of  Medicine [D]

ii) Conserving natural resources used by Indian Systems of Medicine [C]

iii) Revitalisation of social processes (institutional, oral and commercial) for transmission of traditional knowledge of health care for its wider use and application [R]

All the current programmes and projects of FRLHT can be covered under these three thrust areas.

The following paragraphs cover briefly the scope of activities being carried out as well as those envisaged, under the three thrust areas mentioned above. In operational terms FRLHT has articulated specific programmes and sub-programmes under each of the thrust areas. For instance, under the first thrust area viz., "Demonstrating contemporary relevance of theory and practice of Indian systems of medicine", FRLHT engages in major programmes such as assessment and documentation of local health practices prevalent in different rural and urban communities. It also has a major programme related to interpretation of traditional medical theories and practices with the use of scientific laboratory tools. Other programmes under this thrust area include creation of traditional knowledge databases and development of methodologies for trans-disciplinary medical research.

In the second thrust area viz.."Conserving natural resources used by Indian Systems of Medicine", FRLHT concentrates on research programmes involving studies related to: inventorising medicinal plants in different forest types; threat assessment; saving species on the verge of extinction and sustainable harvest. Under this thrust area, FRLHT also undertakes other important programmes related to efforts towards development of databases and establishment of a bio-cultural herbarium and raw-drug repository of the plants of India.,

The third thrust area deals with the "Revitalisation of social processes" (institutional, oral and commercial) for transmission of traditional knowledge of health care and the main programmes under this thrust area are; building decentralized associations of folk healers and self-help women groups, home herbal gardens and promoting community-owned enterprises. A major initiative under this thrust area for influencing institutional processes is the development of a research hospital, pharmacy and a post-graduate training institute and University affiliated PhD degree programs.

The Ministry of Science & Technology recognizes FRLHT as a scientific and industrial research organization. The Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Ministry of Health have designated FRLHT as a National Center of Excellence for medicinal plants, traditional knowledge and Ayurvedic Geriatrics respectively.