|
Parliamentary Panel recommends policy, regulatory steps to strengthen Ayush services
|
|
Gireesh Babu, New Delhi
September 08 , 2026
|
|
|
The Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare has recommended to the Ministry of Health to strengthen the Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-rigpa, and Homoeopathy (Ayush) services through measures including higher quality control of medicines and integration of the system with modern medicine.
The Panel, in its 176th report on affordability and accessibility of healthcare facilities in public and private sector, acknowledged the progress made in establishing an Ayush vertical within the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) and the initiation of Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs).
It recommended expedited finalisation and nationwide enforcement of comprehensive STGs for all major disease classifications across all Ayush disciplines to ensure safe, evidence-based, and standardized integrative care.
"The Committee believes that domestic and international trust hinges upon uncompromising quality control. The Committee, therefore, recommends the continuous and speedy promotion and enforcement of WHO-CoPP (Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product) and Quality Council of India (QCI) certifications for all Ayush pharmaceutical products," said the Panel headed by Member of Parliament Prof. Ram Gopal Yadav.
It observed that true holistic healthcare necessitates seamless patient access to both traditional and modern medical systems under a single roof to facilitate cross-referrals and integrated management. The Panel recommended strict enforcement of a policy mandating the compulsory co-location of Ayurveda and other Ayush dispensaries or hospitals alongside all overnment Allopathic centers, Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs), and District Hospitals.
Opining that geographical equity in traditional healthcare delivery is paramount, it recommended for the formulation and immediate execution of a definitive policy that ensures the establishment of population-based Ayurveda and Ayush facilities uniformly across the country.
It observed that the successful implementation of an integrative medical model relies entirely on a well-trained, multi-skilled, and unbiased healthcare workforce.
It called for immediate development and deployment of competency-based, evidence-oriented training programs specifically designed to safely integrate Ayush services into mainstream standard treatment workflows. Fostering mutual respect and practical synergy between allopathic and traditional practitioners is vital to reducing systemic bias.
"The Committee, therefore, recommends the immediate introduction of integrated curriculum modules, exchange fellowships, and cross-system Continuous Medical Education (CME) sessions across both Allopathic and Ayush educational institutions so as to complement each other and capable of reducing rural urban gaps in accessibility of medical facilities at the grass root level, especially rural, hilly and tribal regions," it added.
Looking into the collaborative efforts between AYUSH research councils (CCRAS, CCRUM, CCRH, CCRS) and premier institutes like AIIMS, ICMR, and IITs, the Committee observed that the evidence base research and development must be pro-actively expanded to ensure treatment of diseases under Ayush System. Rigorous empirical validation is crucial for the mainstream and global acceptance of traditional practices of treatment under Ayush System.
It recommended the allocation of dedicated, ring-fenced funding to accelerate the scientific validation of Ayush interventions through robust academic and industry partnerships.
Multiple branches of healthcare (Allopathy, Ayurveda, Yoga, Homeopathy, etc.) must be integrated with a strict research mindset to understand the emerging trends of diseases due to climate change and global ecological disaster and disorder, said the Panel.
It also advised the Ministry that the establishment of Ayush-ICMR Advanced Centres for Integrative Health Research (AI-ACIHR) must be scaled to all major tertiary care centres, prioritizing joint clinical trials for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), cancer care, and geriatric health.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOPICS
|
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Maharashtra, has issued a public advisory urging citizens to report any misleadi ...
|
|
|
|
|