Streamline Ayush systems of medicine: Parliamentary Panel

New Delhi: The need of the hour to streamline the Ayush systems of medicines by standardization and quality control of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homeopathy (ASU and H) drugs and improving the quality of education and healthcare services through these traditional systems, says a Parliamentary panel.

The curricula of both the modern systems of medicine and Ayush systems needs to be changed in such a way so as to strive for integration in the study of medical education itself followed by cross system referrals and integrated healthcare systems, says a report of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare.

The Committee pointed out that it is often seen that practitioners of modern medicine do not have much faith in Ayush system and often question their credibility and scientific validation. ''It is a known fact that our country has been repository of knowledge of traditional systems of medicine since ages,'' the report said.

The committee was of the view that an integrated approach towards both systems of medicines would help in understanding the strengths of each system of medicine and also increase the credibility of Ayush systems.

The Committee also recommended the Health ministry to take concrete steps to introducing modules of modern medicine in the curriculum and pursue the ministry for similar modules of Ayush Systems in their MBBS course.

The panel was of the view that there needs to be a quantum jump in the budgetary allocation of Ayush ministry so that the very objectives of the Health ministry to position Ayush systems as the preferred system of living and practice for attaining a healthy India is utilized.

The Committee, headed by Prof Ram Gopal Yadav, recommended that given the vital importance of the Ayush systems, at least 5 percent of the total health budget should be allocated to this traditional form of medicine to boost up this sector. The department of Ayush was given the status of ministry in November 2014, as it envisaged development and implementation of programmes of Ayush systems.

Since 2013-2014, allocation of the Ayush ministry is between 3 percent and 4 percent of the Health Budget. It is 3.08 percent of the health budget for 2018-19.