The Steering Committee’s report on AYUSH (Ayurveda, unani, siddha and homeopathy) has suggested that a separate drug controller general for Ayurveda, siddha and unani drugs should be created.
The demand for traditional Indian medicine and other herbal products has increased tremendously in India and abroad. The world herbal market is estimated to be $62 billion – of which China accounts for $19 billion and India $1 billion. There are around 10, 000 ASU drug manufacturing units in the country. ” To facilitate the increased acceptability of ASU medicines within the country and abroad, the core issue is the quality and standardization of ASU products and effective enforcement of the provisions of the Drugs & Cosmetic Act,” the steering committee report said.
It explained, “AYUSH and allopathic, both systems, often provide solutions to a common set of problems. Many times both systems complement each other also. Our endeavor during the 12th Plan will be that both systems expand and progress together, based on their core competencies and inherent strengths.”
It added, “We must ensure that the healthcare delivery system in the country is designed and developed in such a way that, both, AYUSH and allopathic systems are available to every patient and the choice of system of treatment is the patient’s choice, based, of course, on set protocols.” The committee feels that AYUSH has a nationwide presence. Besides, it has near-universal acceptance, available practitioners and infrastructure.
Read more on the report here.
Kerala Government’s Short Film on Ayurveda Treatments.
