‘WAPCON-26’ to bring Ayurvedic women docs to a platform

Visakhapatnam: Viswa Ayurveda Parishad (VAP), a national non-governmental organisation committed to the revival, promotion, and scientific advancement of Ayurveda, is organising ‘WAPCON-26’, National Women Ayurveda and Ayurpreneurship Conference on February 6th and 7th at the AU Convention Centre, Beach Road, Visakhapatnam.

With a special focus on professional empowerment, entrepreneurship, leadership, skill development and policy advocacy, WAPCON-26, the first-of-its-kind national conference, is dedicated exclusively to women in Ayurveda.

The conference aims to address the growing gap between Ayurvedic education and sustainable professional practice, especially among women graduates.

Speaking about the conference, Dr S Sahithi, convener of WAPCON-26 and general secretary, Viswa Ayurveda Parishad (AP), stated that although nearly 70–80 percent of Ayurveda graduates in India are women, only a small percentage are able to continue active professional practice due to social, economic and systemic challenges.

“WAPCON-26 is envisioned as a national platform to convert education into employment, skills into enterprises, and knowledge into leadership, aligning with the vision of women-led development,” she said.

Ayurveda experts from across the country will discuss public health, education and entrepreneurship at the conference. Also, panel discussions on Ayurveda policy reforms, NHM integration, women-led startups and skill-based practice models, interactive sessions on Ayurpreneurship, clinical excellence, digital health, and sustainable livelihoods are lined up during the two-day-long event that concludes on Saturday.

‘WAPCON-26’ is being organized in collaboration with AYUSH Department and Andhra University, and is considered as a strategic initiative contributing to Andhra Pradesh’s vision of becoming a hub for traditional medicine, wellness tourism, and women-led entrepreneurship.

To strengthen Ayurveda education, healthcare delivery and women’s participation in the workforce, the organisers stated that resolutions emerging from the conference will be formally submitted to the state and Central governments.