Haridwar, May 3 (IANS): Stressing the importance of preventive healthcare, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday called upon people to embrace cleanliness.

Inaugurating a research centre of the Ramdev-promoted Patanjali Ayurved here, Modi also found fault over what he said was the neglect of its traditional forms of medicine like Ayurveda. 

"While pre-independence period witnessed attempts to destroy India's indigenous and traditional arts and forms of healthcare like Ayurveda, a large part of post-independence period was spent in neglecting them."

Modi lamented that the indifference led to foreign countries acquiring patents. 

"The world now is not just content with curing diseases but there is more emphasis on wellness and preventive healthcare. The best way to ensure and promote preventive healthcare is cleanliness," he said. 

"If we resolve to be clean, if we resolve not to litter or spread dirt and filth, we can save more lives than a doctor does. Cleanliness is the way ahead to make India disease free. 

"Our ancestors spent their lives making innovations and turning these innovations useful for humanity. 

"We must never forget that innovative spirit and continue making efforts to develop our traditional techniques and methods," Modi added. 

The Prime Minister hailed Ramdev for revolutionizing yoga in the country and creating global awareness about it.