Appreciating the Union Ayush Ministry for its efforts to establish 12,500 Health and Wellness Centres, now called Arogya Mandirs, which align with the universal health program objectives, a parliamentary committee has urged the Government to follow China’s lead in integrating the Ayush system with poverty alleviation initiatives to enhance community engagement.
The committee also recommended integrating Ayush awareness into school curricula, emphasising prevention over treatment to minimise knowledge barriers between Ayush and modern medicine.
In its report “Review of National Ayush Mission in India”, presented in Parliament recently, Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare said, “facilitating a dialogue among health providers from various systems becomes imperative for optimising patient outcomes. Substantial reforms in Indian medical education are essential to instil in medical students and practitioners an attitude supportive of the integration of modern medicine and traditional medicine.”
Additionally, investing in robust research and development, enhancing educational institutions and promoting awareness will contribute to establishing Ayush as a viable and integral part of the healthcare system, the report stated.
“Physicians from both systems can work together to develop comprehensive treatment plans for patients, considering both Indian and Western medical perspectives,” it said.
The committee recommended the ministry ensure there is at least one specialist practitioner in Ayurveda, homoeopathy, yoga or Siddha in these co-located facilities.
“The committee hopes that this initiative may result in integrating the Ayush system of medicine for managing chronic conditions like respiratory ailments, digestive problems, and musculoskeletal disorders,” the report said.
The panel also emphasised developing standardised protocols for Ayush interventions, stating that it can ensure data consistency and enable robust clinical research.
Data gathered and generated in centres should be recorded and published.
The committee flagged concerns raised over the high metal content in the Ayush drugs while acknowledging the measures taken by the ministry in pharmacovigilance.
To accentuate these measures, it recommended that the ministry further strengthen regulatory frameworks by developing user-friendly systems for healthcare professionals and consumers to report adverse events related to Ayush medicines. Also, regular post-marketing surveillance of Ayush medicines should be conducted to monitor real-world safety and efficacy. This provides ongoing data for continuous improvement of quality.