The World Health Organisation (WHO) will launch ICD 11 Module 2 (Morbidity Codes) consisting of data and terminology relating to diseases based on Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani systems here on Monday in New Delhi .
The effort will lead to global uniformity in ASU (Ayurveda, Unani, and Siddha) medicine as a code of vocabulary defining diseases. “The global data on diseases currently available is mainly based on healthcare practices to be diagnosed through modern biomedicine. The classification of data and terminology relating to diseases based on Ayush systems such as Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani etc. is not yet included in the WHO ICD series,” said a senior official from the Ayush Ministry.
The Ministry has already developed the Code for Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani Medicine through the National Ayush Morbidity and Standardized Electronic Portal (NAMSTE). The Ministry of Ayush in collaboration with WHO has prepared a categorization of data and terminology related to diseases based on Ayush - Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani systems under TM2 module of ICD11 series. The Ministry has also signed a Donor Agreement with the WHO for the same.
“This effort will further strengthen and expand India’s public healthcare delivery system, research, Ayush insurance coverage, research and development, and policy-making systems. In addition, these codes will also be used in the formulation of future strategies to control various diseases in the society. Many other member countries of the World Health Organization are also willing to implement a similar format to include the terminology of traditional medical diseases in the ICD,” said the official.
Infectious diseases like Malaria and lifestyle diseases like chronic insomnia are included in this classification. Ayurveda, Siddhas, and Unani, Vertigo Guidance Disorder (parent name), commonly recognized by the three traditional systems, as a nervous system disorder known in Ayurveda as ‘Bhramaha’ siddha as ‘Ajal Kirkrippu’ and in Unani as ‘Sadra-o-Dwar’, he explained.