Starting today, Faculty of Traditional Medicine is offering first-ever master’s degree programme. It is intended to take the traditional medicine service to new heights through research findings.
“Without evidence, people do not value traditional medicine and holistic healing service. So we have to meet standards and make practical evidence like allopathic medicine treatments,” said Karma Ugyen, Senior Dungtsho with the Institute of Traditional Medicine. “There is a need to study impacts and benefits of traditional medicines on diseases.”
The masters degree is two-year research based course. It will facilitate further studies on traditional medicine service to make new medicines. Current traditional medicine are prepared based on research findings from the 17th century.
“In the past medicines were made based on the religious and spiritual texts composed by the enlightened Buddha. Henceforth, with changing time we might need to make new medicines,” said the Academic Dean of Institute of Traditional Medicine, Sangay Wangdi.
Of the six applicants, four Dungtshos who served in different districts across the country are enrolled for masters’ course.
Bhutan’s first traditional medicine institute was established in 1971 and offered diploma courses. It was later upgraded to degree faculty in 1978.
