Lok Sabha Question No. 421 (STARRED), answered on 2022-04-01
Subject: Siddha System of Medicine
Ministry: AYURVEDA,YOGA & NATUROPATHY,UNANI,SIDDHA AND HOMEOPATHY (AYUSH)
Asked by: Faizal P.P. Mohammed, Behanan Benny

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AYURVEDA, YOGA & NATUROPATHY, UNANI, SIDDHA AND HOMOEOPATHY (AYUSH)

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 421 TO BE ANSWERED ON 1 ST  APRIL, 2022

## SIDDHA SYSTEM OF MEDICINE

## *421.   SHRI MOHAMMED FAIZAL P.P.: SHRI BENNY BEHANAN:

Will the Minister of AYUSH be pleased to state:

- (a) whether Siddha system of medicine is getting due publicity;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken by the Government to popularise this system of medicine in the country, State/UT-wise;
- (c) whether there are a number of vacancies of Siddha doctors in various States;
- (d) if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise and district-wise including the southern States;
- (e) whether the Government proposes to fill up these vacancies in the near future; and
- (f) if so, the timeline decided for the same?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF AYURVEDA, YOGA & NATUROPATHY, UNANI, SIDDHA AND HOMOEOPATHY(AYUSH)

(SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

- (a) to (f) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 421* FOR 1 ST  APRIL, 2022

(a) & (b): Yes, Sir. Siddha system of medicine is getting due publicity and recognition from the general public. Siddhar Kaayakalpam, Siddhar Yogam, external therapies like Varmam, Thokkanamare the strength of Siddha system for prevention, management, and treatment  of  diseases.  The  Ministry  of  Ayush  has  established Central  Council  for Research  in  Siddha  (CCRS)  and  National  Institute  of  Siddha  (NIS),  Chennai  to popularize  Siddha  system  of  medicine  in  the  Country .  The  Ministry  of  Ayush  also operates various Central Sector Schemes and Centrally Sponsored Scheme like National AYUSH Mission (NAM) and Information Education and Communication (IEC).

Under Information Education and Communication (IEC) scheme , the Ministry supports events like National level fairs, State level fairs, seminar, conferences, workshops  etc.  for  propagating  Ayush  including  Siddha  system  of  medicine  and treatment. The scheme also provides for propagation through print and news media.

Under the National AYUSH Mission (NAM) schem e  following  provisions  are provided to popularize the Ayush system of medicine including Siddha:-

(i) AYUSH Health & Wellness Centres under Ayushman Bharat

(ii)  Co-location  of  AYUSH  facilities  at  Primary  Health  Centres  (PHCs),  Community Health Centres (CHCs) and District Hospitals (DHs)

(iii) Upgradation of existing standalone Government AYUSH Hospitals

(iv) Upgradation of existing/setting up of new standalone Government/ Panchayat/Government aided AYUSH Dispensaries

(v) Setting up of up to 50 /30 /10 bedded integrated AYUSH Hospitals

(vi)Supply of essential drugs to Government AYUSH  Hospitals, Government Dispensaries  and  Government/Government  aided  Teaching  Institutional  AYUSH Hospitals

(vii) AYUSH Public Health Programmes

(viii)  Infrastructural  development  of  State  Government  Under-Graduate  and  PostGraduate Educational Institutions.

(ix) Establishment of new AYUSH Colleges in the States where availability of AYUSH teaching institutions is inadequate in Government Sector.

(x) Behaviour Change Communication (BCC)/Information Education and Communication (IEC)

(xi) AYUSH Gram

The following activities have been carried out to strengthen / upgrade the existing institutes/units of CCRS and NIS and to popularize the Siddha system of medicine:-

- i. Siddha Medical Plants Gardens are maintained in various units of Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS) and National Institute of Siddha (NIS).
- ii. Regional  Raw  Drug  Repositories  (RRDR's), a  project  under  Central  Sector Scheme on Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants supported by National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) is being carried out at SCRI, Chennai.  The outcome monograph would be used for the routine analysis in  the  quality  control  laboratories  in order  to  ensure  the purity  and quality of the procured/collected  raw  drug.  Control  on  the  quality  of  the  raw  drug  would positively impact the formulation processes and hence would result in the quality herbal medicines in ASU&H systems.
- iii. Cancer OPD has also been initiated in Siddha Clinical Research Unit, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College &Safdarjung Hospital Campus, New Delhi.
- iv. CCRS  has  entered  into  Memorandum  of  Understanding  (MoU)  with  premier medical institutions like Government Institute of Medical Sciences(GIMS), Noida, All  India  Institute  of  Ayurveda,  National  Institution  of  Nutrition  -  ICMR  for carrying  out  collaborative  studies.  In  addition,  a  MoU  has  been  made  with Accelerating Growth of New India Innovation (AGNIi) for the commercialization of R&D technologies and products developed by CCRS.
- v. The guidelines issued by Ministry of AYUSH have aided the Siddha practitioners for adopting preventive measures of COVID  and  in the management of asymptomatic, symptomatic COVID patients. Government of Tamil Nadu have launched  special  programme  named  AAROGYAM  with  guidelines  for  the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 through Siddha system of Medicine.
- vi. Nationwide  Distribution  of  Kabasura  Kudineer :  CCRS  and  NIS  through  its peripherial  Institutes/units  has  carried  out  the  project  entitled  -Documentation  of efficacy  of  selected  Ayush  Interventions  Ayush-64  and  Kabasura  Kudineer  in asymptomatic,  mild  to  moderate  Covid-19  patients  in  home  isolation  through AyushSanjivani mobile app: A prospective multicenter Community based study‖. With the support of Seva Bharathi workers mass distribution of Kabasurakudineerchooranam  was  carried  out  in  the  COVID-19  affected  areas. Total  sample  size  covered  was  30,000.  Kabsurakudineer  has  proven  significant effect in the management and prevention of COVID -19. Kabasura Kudineer have been provided to all mild / asymptomatic COVID positive / patients in Allopathy medical  colleges  and  hospitals  as  integrated  therapy  with  modern  medicine standard care of treatment and shown significant results which have been published in international journal.
- vii. Nationwide  Distribution  of  Amukkura  Chooranam  Tablets :  NIS  and  CCRS through  its peripheral institutes and  Clinical Research  Units  distribution of Amukkura Chooranam tablets was carried out related to AzadiKa AmritMahotsav activities.
- viii. An Integrated Siddha cancer OPD is successfully functioning at All India Institute of  Ayurveda campus aiding the Palliative care of cancer patients through Siddha system.
- ix. AYUSH-Hospital Management Information System (AHMIS) has been implemented in the peripheral institutes/units of CCRS

## x. Activities under WHO Collaboration:

The following activities on Siddha System of Medicine have been initiated under the agreement of WHO with Ministry of Ayush:

- a. Inclusion  of  Siddha  Morbidity  Codes  in  2 nd Module  of  Traditional  Medicine Chapter of ICD-11
- b. Siddha Terminology document
- c. Bench marks for practice in Siddha and Bench marks for practice in Varmam.

## xi. CCRS has developed following Mobile applications:

- a. Validation of Siddha UdalIyal Inventory -YI for the  Assessment  of  Body Constitution (ABC) - It forms the fundamental basis of diagnosing the diseases, the prognosis  and  in  deciding  the  treatment  modality.  It  will  also  provide  lifestyle modification / recommendation based on the constitution.
- b. SiddAR app -  Siddha  initiative  for  documentation  of  drug  Adverse  Reaction  has been developed to document the observed and reported side effects of Siddha drugs which benefit the public.
- c. NAMASTE PORTAL -National AYUSH Morbidity and Standardized Terminologies Electronic  (NAMASTE) Portal gives information about the standard terminology  of Siddha  Technical  terms used in  Siddha  System  of  Medicine. Honourable Prime Minister had launched the NAMASTE Portal on 17 th Oct., 2017.
- d. Doorman  is  an  Android  Mobile  Application  for  Misleading  advertisements,  Tall claim and magical remedy Act management mobile application.
- xii. Siddha Day: Siddha day is being observed on the birth star of Siddha Agasthiyar, the  father  of  Siddha  medicine  to  bring  about  awareness  and  popularize  Siddha system of medicine amongst the public. The Fifth Siddha Day was celebrated on 23 rd December,  2021  by  CCRS,  NIS  &  Government  of  Tamil  Nadu  at  Chennai Trade  Centre,  Nandambakkam,  Chennai.  The  theme  of  5 th Siddha  Day  was -Strength of Siddha for Communicable Diseases‖.

## xiii. COVID-19 related Research:

- a. A  prospective  Non-randomized  Open  label  Controlled  Interventional  study  on  the effect of Siddha intervention Kaba Sura Kudineer (KSK) as a Prophylactic measure among  high  risk  population  (Health  Care  Workers/Containment  Zone  population) exposed to COVID-19 (SIDDHALION) Sample size - 20000. Data has submitted to Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) and it is in progress.
- b. A prospective, single centre, randomized open labelled comparative clinical study to evaluate the effectiveness of Siddha medicine, Kabasura Kudineer and vitamin c-zinc supplementation  in  the  management  of  asymptomatic  COVID  19  patients.    at Government  Stanley  Medical  College,  Chennai.    The  study  results  have  been published in the  journal  -TRIALS‖ a springer nature indexed international journal. Trials. 2021 Sep 15;22(1):623. doi: 10.1186/s13063-021-05583-0. PMID: 34526104; PMCID: PMC8441246.
- c. A randomized open labeled clinical study to compare the effectiveness of Kabasura Kudineer and Vitamin-C Zinc supplementation in the management of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 patients at Govt. Theni medical college, Tamil Nadu. The publishing of study result is in process.
- d. A Double blinded RCT Namely "A Double Blinded controlled RCT to evaluate the efficacy Nilavembu Kudineer and Kabasurakudineer in  Symptomatic  COVID  19 Patients"  was  planned  as  a  collaborative  study  with  Govt.  Institute  of  Medical Sciences, Greater Noida and Siddha Clinical Research Unit, New Delhi. The study results has been published in TRIALS journals. Efficacy of two siddha polyherbal decoctions,  Nilavembu  Kudineer  and  KabaSura  Kudineer,  along  with  standard allopathy treatment in the management of mild to moderate symptomatic COVID19  patients-a  double-blind,  placebo-controlled,  clinical  trial.  Trials  22,  570 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-021-05478-0
- e. A prospective, non-randomized, single-arm interventional study to assess the safety and efficacy of Siddha Sasthric Medicines - Fixed Regimen in the prevention of COVID-19 disease progression of asymptomatic, and mild at Siddha COVID Care Centre, Chennai, 2020 (SSM-FiRe). The publishing of study result is in process.
- f. Awareness  and  practices  regarding  COVID-19  related  prevention,  control  and promotive measures among population, Tamil Nadu, India: Cross-sectional study. The publishing of study result is in process.
- g. Clinical validation of the -Immune booster‖ potential of the Siddha medicine drug, Kabasurakudineer (KSK)  in asymptomatic contacts of COVID-19  cases: a controlled clinical trial. The study is in process.
- h. An Open labelled RCT to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Siddha Supplement (MAM Granules) along with Standard Allopathy Treatment in the management of RT  PCR  Positive  Pre  Symptomatic  COVID  19  patients.  The  study  has  been completed and publication work is in progress.
9. (c) to (f): Yes Sir. The details are as under:-

| State / UT-wise                                                 | Sanctioned   | Vacant       |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|--------------|--------------|
| CCRS                                                            | 40           | 2            |
| NIS                                                             | 37           | 8            |
| Tamil Nadu                                                      | 1562         | 112          |
| Tamil Nadu (National Health Mission) Tamil Nadu (National AYUSH | 275 72       | 5 -          |
| Mission) Kerala                                                 | 19           | 1 (PH quota) |
| Kerala (National Health Mission)                                | 29           | -            |
| Kerala (National AYUSH Mission)                                 | 20           | 1            |
| Puducherry                                                      | 12           | -            |
| Puducherry (National Health Mission)                            |              |              |
| Puducherry (National                                            | 7            | -            |
| AYUSH Mission)                                                  | 3            | -            |

Necessary action has been taken to fill up the vacancies as and when they arise. In the  State  of  Tamil  Nadu,  the  Medical  Services  Recruitment  Board  has  notified  the vacancies and the government have approved the same vide G.O.(D). No.1157 of Health and Family Welfare Department dated 21.10.2021. The timeline is decided by the MSRB in Tamil Nadu.

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