With the Indian traditional medicines failing to make their mark in the global market, the Government has decided to set up a separate Central drug controller on the lines of that for the allopathy to ensure quality production standards.
“It is a pity that India’s experience and strength in traditional medicine have not translated into market shares in the global traditional market. The Government would soon set up a separate Central Drug Controller for traditional medicines to ensure quality in production standards,” said Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, after inaugurating the four-day 6th Arogya Expo organized by the Ministry in collaboration with the World Ayurveda Congress on Thursday here.
The Minister regretted that India has “missed the bus” in terms of capitalising on its headstart in the traditional medicine sector. “It is a pity that China has captured such a huge share of the world market whereas India’s presence is non-existent. We are determined to develop Brand India through Ayurveda,” he said. The concerns are not without reasons. The traditional medicines global market is estimated at about $100 billion, but India’s share is negligible because quality standards are not maintained to international specifications.
Authorities feel that the institutionalisation of a regulatory authority backed up by Central and State laboratories would ensure that traditional and indigenous medicines get their pride of place in mainstream healthcare. Presently, Ayush (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) or traditional medicinal products are being governed under the Drug and Cosmetic Act supervised by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). But with its hands full in overseeing the growing allopathy sector, the short-staffed DCGI is not able to do justice to the Indian alternative medicine system.
International markets are very particular about not importing medicines containing metals which are hazardous. There have been cases of Indian herbal medicines containing heavy metals following which many European and developed countries banned their import. So now the products which are sent abroad are without any metals.
An ENT surgeon himself, Harsh Vardhan pointed out that his respect for Ayurveda did not sprint from emotions but scientific understanding. He said, “In this age no single stream of medicine is supreme. This is the age of holistic medicine and I wish to give India an edge in this.” Vouching for the traditional medicines, the Minister said that with the world’s disease burden in non-communicable diseases growing, there is a new mindset in favour of holistic treatment. Also, with the explosion of information on the Internet people are getting aware of Ayurveda’s approach of treating each human body as unique, the Minister said.
He further said that with the launch of the National AYUSH Mission for which the Government has allocated a whopping Rs5,000 crore, focus will be in detail on building up a brand value for Ayurvedic drugs manufactured in the country.
At another session at the expo, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram said that India’s ancient medicinal systems are being given a ‘new-look image’ as part of the new Government’s efforts to popularise them without losing their essence. Such a concerted exercise will specially benefit rural India where people largely rely on local herbal doctors. “Deliberations are on with experts and practitioners ensuring that such a plan benefits the country’s huge number of villages,” Oram said.
The four-day Ayurveda Congress will witness participation of around 4,000 participants, including around 200 international delegates from many countries, such as Sri lanka, Germany, the US, Italy, Singapore, Australia, Russia and Argentina. In all, 750 scientific papers by scientists from India and abroad, plenary lectures, technical sessions, B2B meets, State Health Ministers’ Meet, Academia Researchers Conclave, Traditional Healers Meet, and an assembly of international delegates will be among the highlights of the Congress in the next three days, said A Jayakumar, Secretary General, Vijnana Bharati, a sister concern of the WAC.