Nepal has inaugurated its first dedicated Traditional Medicine Research Center in Dang district, marking a significant step toward integrating indigenous healing practices with modern medical science. The center, built at a cost of 500 million rupees, houses advanced phytochemistry laboratories, clinical trial facilities, and a herbarium with over 2,000 documented medicinal plant species.

The center will focus on scientifically validating the efficacy of traditional Ayurvedic formulations and indigenous herbal remedies that have been used by communities across Nepal for generations. Initial research projects include studies on herbs used for diabetes management, antimicrobial properties of Himalayan medicinal plants, and traditional treatments for respiratory ailments.

Dr. Ramesh Adhikari, the center's director, emphasized that the goal is not to replace modern medicine but to complement it with evidence-based traditional therapies. He noted that approximately 80 percent of Nepal's rural population still relies on some form of traditional medicine as their primary healthcare approach.

The initiative has received support from the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy framework and funding from the government's science and technology development budget. Partnerships have been established with research institutions in India, China, and South Korea to facilitate knowledge exchange and collaborative studies.