Abstract

ROLE OF ICTS IN PROMOTING AND PRESERVING THE TRADITIONAL MEDICINAL KNOWLEDGE IN INDIA

*Dr. K. S. Shanthi Sree, Dr. A. Suvarna Latha, Dr. P. Lakshmi Padmavathi, Prof. D. Bharathi* and Prof. K. Nagalakshmamma

Abstract

Traditional medicinal knowledge is a valuable asset for any country as it plays a major role in making the nation more progressive and transforming its society. Since time immemorial, India has possessed a rich traditional knowledge of ways and means practiced to treat diseases afflicting people. This knowledge has generally been passed down by word of mouth from generation to generation. A part of this knowledge has been described in ancient classical and other literature, often inaccessible to the common man and even when accessible rarely understood. Documentation of this existing knowledge, available in public domain, on various traditional systems of medicine has become imperative to safeguard the sovereignty of this traditional knowledge and to protect it from being misappropriated in the form of patents on non-original innovations, and which has been a matter or national concern. Since time immemorial, India has possessed a rich traditional knowledge of ways and means practiced to treat disease affecting people. The health sector has always relies on technologies. According to WHO (2004), they form the backbone of the services to prevent, diagnose, and treat illness and disease. ICTs are only one category of the vast array of technologies that may be of use. Given the right policies, organization, resources, and institutions, ICTs can be powerful tools in the hands of those working to improve health. Advances in information and computer technology in the last quarter of the 20th century have led to the ability to more accurately profile individual health risks. The paper describes the role of the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library and its activities in preserving traditional medicinal knowledge in India. It also discusses the need for preserving traditional medicinal knowledge.

Keywords: ICT, Traditional systems, digital library and medicinal knowledge.