MARGAO: Francisca Gaudo e Colaco, a healer who helps people, particularly the needy, recover from their ailments with her traditional medicines, and whose story was highlighted by Herald, was presented the QCI- Quality Council of India certificate at the 9th World Ayurveda Congress and Ethnopharmacology and Traditional Healers Conclave held at Panjim on Thursday.
Francisca was amongst the few others, who received QCI certificate for their contribution in the field of traditional medicines. However, the 65-year-old healer originally from Raia and now residing at Nessai was honoured with a special place on the dais.
Herald in its November 21 edition this year had highlighted the story of Francisca in detail, including her struggle to get the herbs and medicinal plants due to Goa’s forests being vanished.
Originally hailing from Barebhatt in Raia, which was once a treasury of medicinal herbs and plants, Francisca has now resorted to sourcing the ingredients she needs from forests in Sanguem and other such remote areas.
The function which was chaired by Prof Pulok Kumar Mukherjee, Director, Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), in the presence of Dr Pradeep Sarmokadam, Member Secretary, Goa State Biodiversity Board; Prof G Hariramamurthi, Emeritus Professor, TDU, Chairperson, Lok Swasthya Parampara Samvardhan Abhiyan, National Traditional Healers’ Federation; Dr Prakash R Itankar, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences RTM Nagpur University, Nagpur, and Dr Unnikrishnan Payyappalli, besides others.
The guests on dais appreciated the hard efforts of Francisca, besides other healers from Goa.
Comprising medical aspects of traditional knowledge handed down from generation to generation, Goa’s ‘ganvtti vokdam’, like that in almost all parts of the world, are largely based on beliefs and experiences that are indigenous to different cultures. Francisca learnt from her elders how to correctly identify and collect medicinal herbs and plants. That was 25 years ago.
Upon receiving the honour she thanked the Herald for highlighting her life which has been dedicated to the cause of society.
