Convinced that the country would benefit if traditional, evidence-based medical streams were allowed to join the public health mainstream, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan on Monday said he was keen on holistic healthcare for all.
Addressing presspersons here during a video-conference from Delhi, the Health Minister said an expert group, headed by H.R. Nagendra, Chancellor of the Bangalore-based Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (S-VYASA) University, had been formed to develop treatment protocols and areas of integration.
“This group will prepare a roadmap to establish India’s credentials in holistic healthcare. It is expected to submit its report by October-end,” he said.
Stating that the Union Cabinet had on September 15 approved the National AYUSH Mission (NAM), the Minister said NAM envisaged focussed action on traditional systems of Indian medicine.
The existing All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi and the six new ones coming up in Bhopal, Raipur, Jodhpur, Patna, Rishikesh and Bhubaneshwar would have AYUSH departments, the Minister said.
The Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) had formulated a 12-month draft bridge course in allopathy to train practitioners of Indian systems of medicine in prescribing essential allopathy drugs at primary healthcare level. The proposal had been forwarded to the Department of Health and Family Welfare and was being studied, he said.
Similarly, the department of AYUSH had also come up with a proposal to develop a bridge course in ayurveda for MBBS doctors, he said.
Ayurveda congressTo promote ayurveda, the Union government, in collaboration with the World Ayurveda Foundation, will organise the 6th World Ayurveda Congress in New Delhi from November 7 to November 9. “This meet will provide an excellent platform to showcase ayurveda as a complete system of medicine with its preventive, rehabilitative and rejuvenating roles,” the Minister said.
