KATHMANDU, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- A veteran Nepali acupuncture specialist called on the government to include alternative medicinal treatment of acupuncture in its health policy.

    Dr. Harish Chandra Shah, who got honored for his effort in the application of traditional Chinese acupuncture healing methods in Nepal on Saturday is been treating patience with acupuncture medicinal treatment since 1985.

    "Alternative medicinal treatment acupuncture is best for least developed country like Nepal where people lack health access and can not afford expensive allopathy treatment," Shah said, after being honored by Acupuncture Moxibustion and Acupressure Association of Nepal (AMAAN).

    Shah, who went to China for medical studies some 30 years ago going, has been devoted to the promotion of the traditional Chinese medical treatment in Nepal.

    AMAAN, a private organization launched by group of specialists and acupuncturists in Nepal five years ago, celebrated its fifth anniversary on Saturday.

    Shah, who is also a Nepali government personnel working in traditional medicine department of acupuncture, said that Chinese government had included traditional Chinese acupuncture methods along with other modern treatment in their health policy. This department is only single institution where government provide such traditional medicinal treatment.

    "When I started this healing method, very few Nepalese were aware of this treatment and patients flow was also slighter," Shahtold Xinhua.

    However he put light on increasing number of patients saying more and more Nepalese are attracted toward traditional acupuncture treatment.

    "The needles used in acupuncture do not costs much and people will get affordable medical treatment without any side effect," Shah added.

    Acupuncture treatment originated in China is still in crawling stage in Nepal. According to AMAAN, there are some 100 specialized acupuncturist working in Nepal who got their academic degree from China. However, Kathmandu-based Red Cross Society is also conducting classes on acupuncture as alternative medicinal method.

    Acupuncturist Sudershan Basnet, chairman of AMAAN, told Xinhua that there are some 60 health centers in Nepal which provides traditional Chinese acupuncture healing treatment to patients. According to Basnet, most of the acupuncture moxibustion and acupressure centers are capital based and all of them are private centers.

    However, AMAAN is still not being able to collect overall data on the practice of acupuncture healing methods in Nepal. "There is the need of research and survey in this sector, Basnet added.