With an aim to ensure holistic healthcare,  the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) and Safdarjung Hospital, both in Delhi inked a pact to develop a model centre of Integrative Health Facility for tertiary care.

The  AIIA and Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital will jointly work to treat patients using the best of both Ayurveda and modern medicine. The MoU was signed on March 25.

The focus areas for collaboration include therapeutic, holistic, preventive, and promotive medical services through integrative medicine unit, lifestyle counselling, yoga, diet advice, stress management, and IEC activities for creating awareness about integrated medicine unit among the public, said Dr (Prof.) Tanuja Nesari, Director of AIIA.

 She added that "This (pact) comes at a time when on World Health Day, the global focus is on 'Our health, our planet. Indian heritage and use of natural treatment formulas combined with modern medicine can become future of patient care in India.”

The facility will help strengthen medical infrastructure and research while increasing affordability and accessibility of treatments, Dr Nesari said.

Under agreement, the infrastructural space and other requisites to run the centre on a day-to-day basis will be provided by VMMC-Safdarjung Hospital, whereas the technical support, including manpower, technical infrastructure, and running of the centre, will be managed by AIIA.

Covid-19 has highlighted  role of alternate medicine systems in enhancing immunity of people.

 In 2020, Delhi Police signed a pact with AIIA wherein later provided ayurveda preventive and promotive health services in residential colonies of Delhi Police through a mobile unit named ‘Dhanwantari Rath’ and Police Wellness Centres.