DEPARTMENT OF AYURVEDA The enactment of the Ayurveda Act, No. 31 of 1961, constituted an important landmark in the development of Indigenous medical systems of Sri Lanka. It provides among other things, the establishment of the Department of Ayurveda and its statutory bodies. The functions previously handled by the Commissioner for Development of Indigenous Medicine devolved on the Commissioner for Ayurveda appointed under the new Act. The main objectives of the Department of Ayurveda Provision of curative services – indoor and outdoor- on the basis of indigenous methods of treatment, through a network of hospitals and dispensaries, and provision for the establishment and services necessary for treatment of diseases, preservation and promotion of health according to indigenous methods of treatment; a. Provision and standardization of educational and professional levels in Ayurveda and encouragement of research in Ayurveda. b. Provision of ancillary services to facilitate treatment, study and research in Ayurveda. In pursuit of the above objectives this Department performs the following functions. Establishment and maintenance of hospital and dispensary services; Conducting examinations at Diploma level in Ayurveda for external students, registration of practitioners, conducting clinical, pharmacological and literary research; Propagation of herb cultivation and assisting projects to facilitate Ayurveda research. For the attainment of these objectives, financial provision is made for three projects under recurrent expenditure, namely: a. General administration and the administration of the Aurveda Act b. Curative Services c. Research KEY FUNCTIONS OF THE AYURVEDA DEPARTMENT 1. Establishment and maintenance of hospitals and other institutions. 2. Conducting seminars, training classes and courses of study. 3. Registration of practitioners and conducting clinical, pharmacological and literary research. 4. Cultivation, Conservation and propagation of medicinal plants. AYURVEDA SECTORS OF PROVINCIAL COUNCILS IN SRI LANKA Constitution of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka was added it 13th amendment in November 1987. By this amendment was introduced provincial councils governing system to eight provinces in Sri Lanka. With this concept central governing powers were distributed among the provincial council. Under this amendment a provincial governor was appointed by the president of Sri Lanka. To assists the governor each province establish a provincial government by an election. Chief Minister and other four ministers are included to provincial councils. All Ayurveda hospitals, dispensaries and free dispensaries are under the provincial Ministry of indigenous medicine. Provincial indigenous secretaries and Provincial Ayurveda Commissioners are responsible for administration of the Ayurveda sectors in provinces Department of Ayurveda, Nawinna, Maharagama, Sri Lanka