The Institute of Indigenous Medicine (IIM) is an affiliated institute of the
University of Colombo, specialising in
Ayurveda
Ayurveda () is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. The theory and practice of Ayurveda is pseudoscientific. Ayurveda is heavily practiced in India and Nepal, where around 80% of the population rep ...
and the
Sri Lankan traditional medicine
Sri Lanka has its own indigenous scheme of traditional medicine which is called "Hela wedakama" (apart from Ayurveda). This system has been practised for thousands of years in the island nation. On the other hand, the Sri Lankan āyurvedic trad ...
. Founded as the ''College of Indigenous Medicine'' in 1929, it became part of the University of Colombo adopting its current name in 1977. It is a premier center of undergraduate and postgraduate study and research into
Ayurveda
Ayurveda () is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. The theory and practice of Ayurveda is pseudoscientific. Ayurveda is heavily practiced in India and Nepal, where around 80% of the population rep ...
and
Indigenous Medicine and
Healthcare
Health care or healthcare is the improvement of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people. Health care is delivered by health pro ...
.
History
IIM was first established as the Swadeshiya Vaidya Vidyalaya (College of Indigenous Medicine) on June 10, 1929 and it was inaugurated by the then
Governor of Ceylon {{Use dmy dates, date=November 2019
The Governor of Ceylon can refer to historical vice-regal representatives of three colonial powers:
Portuguese Ceylon
* List of Captains of Portuguese Ceylon (1518–1551)
* List of Captain-majors of Portuguese ...
,
Sir Herbert James Stanley, at the Bauer Building situated at Cotta Road,
Borella
Borella is the largest suburb in Colombo, Sri Lanka represented by divisional code 8.
Demographic
Borella is a multi-religious and multi-ethnic area. The major ethnic communities in Borella are Sinhalese and Tamils. There are also various other ...
. Captain (Dr) A.N.N Panikker of the
Indian Medical Service
The Indian Medical Service (IMS) was a military medical service in British India, which also had some civilian functions. It served during the two World Wars, and remained in existence until the independence of India in 1947. Many of its officer ...
who had qualified in western medicine in Edinburgh and possessed a sound training in Ayurveda sciences was invited to the newly established College by the
Government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government i ...
as its first principal. Similarly, Dr H.M. Jaffer and Dr H. Ahamed were also brought down from
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
to develop
Unani
Unani or Yunani medicine ( Urdu: ''tibb yūnānī'') is Perso-Arabic traditional medicine as practiced in Muslim culture in South Asia and modern day Central Asia. Unani medicine is pseudoscientific. The Indian Medical Association describes ...
system of medicine.
In 1961, the ''Ayurveda Act No. 31 of 1961'' was enacted by repealing the ''Indigenous Medical Ordinance No. 17 of 1941'' and the college was renamed as the Government College of Indigenous Medicine and came under the management of the College and Hospital Board. This was a step taken to uphold the quality of ayurveda healthcare delivery and the systems of education in Ayurveda, Unani and
Siddha.
In 1977, the College of Indigenous Medicine was renamed as the Institute of Indigenous Medicine and affiliated to the
University of Colombo under the ''University Act No. 1 of 1972''. This was done by the ''Institute of Ayurveda Statute No. 1 of 1977'', published in the
Government Gazette Extraordinary bearing number 258 of March 30, 1977. The objective of this step was to produce qualified medical practitioners in the field of Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha medical systems. ''Institute of Indigenous Medicine Ordinance No. 7 of 1979'' published in the Government Gazettee Extraordinary bearing No. 67/14 dated December 21, 1979 under the ''Universities Act No. 16 of 1978''. With this enactment, the Siddha section was transferred and affiliated to the
University of Jaffna
The University of Jaffna ( ta, யாழ்ப்பாணப் பல்கலைக்கழகம், translit=Yāḻppāṇap Palkalaikkaḻakam; si, යාපනය විශ්වවිද්යාලය, ''Yāpanaya Viśvavidyālaya''; ...
.
Administration
The
Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
of the University of Colombo, governs the academic matters of the institute. The Board of Management and the Departmental Committee of the institute are the responsible for administrative and academic matters. The decision of the Senate will be final in all matters.
Academics
Undergraduate programs
* BAMS (
Bachelor of Ayurveda Medicine and Surgery
Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (B.A.M.S.) is a professional degree focused on Ayurveda offered in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.
Ayurveda is a type of alternative medicine, and the study of Ayurveda is pseudoscientific while ...
) – Duration 6 years(Including 5 year Academic studies and 01 year Internship )
* BUMS (
Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery) – Duration 6 years(Including 5 year Academic studies and 01 year Internship )
Postgraduate programs
* (Ayurveda)
* MD (AYU)- (Vachaspati)
* Postgraduate Diploma in Ayurveda
* Postgraduate Diploma in Unani
Publications
The institute publishes the ''Sri Lanka Journal of Indigenous Medicine'', a biannual
peer-reviewed
Peer review is the evaluation of work by one or more people with similar competencies as the producers of the work ( peers). It functions as a form of self-regulation by qualified members of a profession within the relevant field. Peer revie ...
medical journal
A medical journal is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that communicates medical information to physicians, other health professionals. Journals that cover many medical specialties are sometimes called general medical journals.
History
The fi ...
covering the traditional system of medicine, medicinal plants, Ayurvedic pharmaceutical science, etc.
See also
*
Sri Lankan traditional medicine
Sri Lanka has its own indigenous scheme of traditional medicine which is called "Hela wedakama" (apart from Ayurveda). This system has been practised for thousands of years in the island nation. On the other hand, the Sri Lankan āyurvedic trad ...
*
University of Colombo
*
Faculties and institutions of University of Colombo
The University of Colombo currently has seven faculties with 41 academic departments and two interdependent schools with five academic departments. All faculties and schools carries out courses of study and research in both graduate and undergradu ...
*
Education in Sri Lanka
Education in Sri Lanka has a long history that dates back two millennia. While the Constitution of Sri Lanka does not provide free education as a fundamental right, the constitution mentions that 'the complete eradication of illiteracy and the a ...
*
University Grants Commission (Sri Lanka)
*
Medical school
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, or part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS, ...
*
List of medical schools in Asia
The following is a list of medical schools (or universities with a medical school), in Asia.
Afghanistan
*Jami University
*Al-Beroni University
* Ghalib University
*Herat University
* Ibne-sina Balkh Medical School
*Kabul Medical University
*Ka ...
*
Ayurveda
Ayurveda () is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. The theory and practice of Ayurveda is pseudoscientific. Ayurveda is heavily practiced in India and Nepal, where around 80% of the population rep ...
*
Alternative medicine
Alternative medicine is any practice that aims to achieve the healing effects of medicine despite lacking biological plausibility, testability, repeatability, or evidence from clinical trials. Complementary medicine (CM), complementary and al ...
*
Traditional medicine
Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) comprises medical aspects of traditional knowledge that developed over generations within the folk beliefs of various societies, including indigenous peoples, before the ...
*
Charaka
Charaka was one of the principal contributors to Ayurveda, a system of medicine and lifestyle developed in Ancient India. He is known as an editor of the medical treatise entitled ''Charaka Samhita'', one of the foundational texts of classical ...
/
Charaka Samhita
The ''Charaka Samhita'' (, “Compendium of '' Charaka''”) is a Sanskrit text on Ayurveda (Indian traditional medicine). Along with the '' Sushruta Samhita'', it is one of the two foundational texts of this field that have survived from anci ...
*
Sushurata
The ''Sushruta Samhita'' (सुश्रुतसंहिता, IAST: ''Suśrutasaṃhitā'', literally "Suśruta's Compendium") is an ancient Sanskrit text on medicine and surgery, and one of the most important such treatises on this subje ...
/
Sushruta Samhita
The ''Sushruta Samhita'' (सुश्रुतसंहिता, IAST: ''Suśrutasaṃhitā'', literally "Suśruta's Compendium") is an ancient Sanskrit text on medicine and surgery, and one of the most important such treatises on this subje ...
References
Plunkett, Richard; Ellemor, Brigitte (2003). Sri Lanka. Lonely Planet. pp. 174.
*Petitjean, Patrick;
Jami, Catherine; Moulin, Anne + - Marie (1992)
Science and Empires. Springer. pp. 112.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Institute Of Indigenous Medicine
Indigenous Medicine
Buildings and structures in Colombo
Ayurvedic colleges in Sri Lanka