The All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) and Delhi Police have recently entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The focus of this partnership is to extend Ayurveda Preventive and Promotive health services to the residential colonies of Delhi Police. This initiative is supported by the Ministry of AYUSH and will be facilitated through a mobile unit, ‘Dhanwantari Rath’, and various Police Wellness Centres.
A Look at the Services
As part of the accord, the Dhanwantari Rath and Police Wellness Centres will serve as outreach OPD (OutPatient Department) services of AIIA. The primary goal of these initiatives is to provide Ayurvedic preventive health care services to the families of Delhi police personnel.
The Dhanwantari Rath, an Ayurvedic healthcare service mobile unit, consists of a team of doctors who make regular visits to Delhi Police colonies. By incorporating Ayurvedic healthcare methodologies, these services aim to reduce the incidence and prevalence of diseases. The initiative also seeks to decrease the number of hospital referrals which, in turn, is expected to bring down healthcare costs for both the system and patients.
Background: AYURAKSHA Initiative
Ayurvedic preventive and promotive health services were previously made available to Delhi police personnel through the AYURAKSHA programme. This was a joint venture between AIIA and Delhi Police and was focused on maintaining the health of frontline Covid warriors, like the Delhi police personnel, by boosting their immunity through Ayurvedic measures. The recent MoU now extends these services to the family members of Delhi Police personnel too.
Understanding Ayurveda
Ayurveda – a portmanteau of ‘Ayuh’ and ‘Veda’ – translates to ‘Science of Life.’ This holistic practice encapsulates all aspects of life, including physical, psychological, spiritual, and social. Ayurveda is recognized as one of the most ancient healthcare systems and is closely linked with the knowledge disseminated in Atharva-veda.
Administration: The Ministry of AYUSH
The Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) was established in 2014 to oversee the optimal development and propagation of AYUSH systems of healthcare.
About All India Institute of Ayurveda
AIIA is an autonomous body under the Ministry of AYUSH. It is regarded as the apex institution for Ayurveda and endeavours to meld the traditional wisdom of Ayurveda with contemporary tools and technology. Located in New Delhi, the institute offers postgraduate and doctoral courses in various disciplines of Ayurveda and concentrates on the fundamental research of Ayurveda, drug development, standardization, quality control, safety evaluation, and the scientific validation of Ayurvedic medicine.