The Ministry of Ayush is making headlines with its Central Sector Scheme called the AYURSWASTHYA Yojana. This program is designed with two significant components to boost the overall reach and efficacy of AYUSH systems of medicine in public health.
Key Components of AYURSWASTHYA Yojana
The first component, namely AYUSH and Public Health, has been established to promote AYUSH intervention in community healthcare. Its aim is to contribute to the wellbeing of communities by integrating AYUSH principles, methods, and practices into current healthcare models.
On the other hand, the second component, the Up-gradation of Facilities to Centre of Excellence, is geared towards supporting the establishment of specialized AYUSH medical health units. These units are set up both in esteemed AYUSH and Allopathic institutions within the Government and Non-Government sectors. Under this segment, financial aid is extended to qualified individual organizations or institutes for enhancement of their functions & facilities, as well as for research & development undertakings in AYUSH. An organization or institute can receive a maximum financial assistance of Rs.10.00 crores for a period of three years under the Centre of Excellence component of AYURSWASTHYA Yojana.
Other Related Schemes and Initiatives
The National AYUSH Mission is another scheme worth mentioning, which addresses the gaps in health services by assisting State/UT Governments to provide AYUSH health services/education, particularly in vulnerable and remote areas.
A range of new portals such as CTRI (Clinical Trial Registry of India), RMIS (Research Management Information System), SAHI (Showcase of Ayurveda Historical Imprints), AMAR (Ayush Manuscripts Advanced Repository), and e-Medha (electronic Medical Heritage Accession) have also been launched to support the AYUSH sector.
A significant initiative called the AYUSH Entrepreneurship Programme, a joint venture of the Ministry of AYUSH and Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), aims at endorsing the AYUSH sector in the country under different Schemes of the Ministry of MSME.
Ayush Wellness Centres & Digital Platforms
The Ayush Wellness Centres (AWC) have been set up to establish a holistic wellness model. These centres concentrate on preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative healthcare by combining AYUSH principles and practices with the existing public health care system.
Furthermore, the digital landscape has also been utilized effectively through the ACCR Portal and Ayush Sanjivani App. These platforms have been conceptualized and developed by the Ministry of Ayush to support both Ayush practitioners and the general public in interacting, understanding and benefiting from the AYUSH systems of medicine.
The constant efforts to innovate and expand the reach of AYUSH system of medicine show the government’s commitment towards enhancing public health using India’s traditional and indigenous medical knowledge.
