Government to initiate Colocation of AYUSH facilities

The minister was responding to the questions raised by Mr. Sambhaji Chhatrapati. Addressing the issue of holding a conversation between Medical Practitioners of Allopathy and Ayush for peaceful coexistence of both the disciplines, Mr. Chhatrapati questioned whether Government would set a high-level working group of medical experts and representatives of premier research institutions belonging to different systems of medicinal treatment.

Responding to this question, the minister stated that the Government of India has adopted a strategy of Colocation of Ayush facilities at Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs), and District Hospitals(DHs). The engagement of Ayush Doctors/ paramedics and their training is supported by the Department of Health & Family Welfare, while the support for Ayush infrastructure, equipment /furniture, and medicines are provided by the Ministry of Ayush under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National Ayush Mission (NAM). Similarly, Ministry is also operationalizing Ayush Health &Wellness Centres by upgrading Ayush dispensaries and existing Sub health centers through NAM under the collaboration of the Department of Health & Family Welfare.

Mr. Chhatrapati further asked whether Government has ever taken any concrete steps to organise long-term dialogue between the practitioners of different systems of medical treatment to lay a path ahead to effectively treat patients suffering from diseases of serious nature and )if not, what is the take of Government on this proposal for the sake of keeping human beings free from illness. Addressing this question, the Ministers mentioned some of the schemes which are currently operational for the same purpose.

"In order to have an interface with other systems of medicine with regard to education and medical practice there is provision for having joint sittings amongst the three Commissions in the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine, Act, 2020, the National Commission for Homoeopathy Act, 2020 and the National Medical Commission Act, 2019", the Minister stated.

He further informed that as far as the most vulnerable disease Cancer is concerned, An MoU was signed between All India Institute of Ayurveda, Ministry of Ayush and National Cancer Institute (NCI) at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jhajjar for establishment of Ayurveda and Integrative Oncology at National Cancer Institute, Jhajjar. This will unfold the potentiality of integration of the systems.