Lok Sabha Question No. 1592 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-10
Subject: Promotion of Traditional Medicines
Ministry: AYURVEDA,YOGA & NATUROPATHY,UNANI,SIDDHA AND HOMEOPATHY (AYUSH)
Asked by: Hema Malini, Dhal Singh Bisen, Ramcharan Bohra

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AYUSH

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-1592 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10/02/2023

## PROMOTION OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINES

## 1592.  SHRIMATI HEMA MALINI: DR. DHAL SINGH BISEN: SHRI RAMCHARAN BOHRA:

Will the MINISTER OF AYUSH be pleased to state:

(a)    whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  to  promote  international  cooperation  to expand the ambit of traditional medicines, if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether any study has been undertaken for integration of existing AYUSH list with foreign traditional medicine systems, if so, the details thereof and if not, the new initiatives taken/to be taken therefor;

(c) whether the Government proposes to promote the traditional medicines through education and skill development throughout the country as well as at world level, if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise;

(d) whether the Government has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the World Health Organisation and if so, the details thereof and the targets set in this regard;

(e)  whether  adequate  policy  measures  have  been  taken  by  the  Government  to  promote traditional system of medicines in the country that resulted in the positive outcome and if so, the details thereof; and

(f) whether the Government is giving adequate focus on evidence based research in all AYUSH systems and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF AYUSH (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

(a) The Ministry has developed a Central Sector Scheme for the Promotion of International Co-operation in AYUSH (IC Scheme) under which the Ministry of Ayush provides support to Indian Ayush drug Manufacturers/ Ayush Service providers to give boost to the export of AYUSH  products  &  services;  facilitates  the  International  promotion,  development  and recognition of AYUSH system of medicine; foster interaction of stakeholders and market development of AYUSH at international level; promote academics and research through the establishment  of  AYUSH  Academic  Chairs  in  foreign  countries  and  holding  training workshop/symposiums  for  promoting  and  strengthening  awareness  and  interest  about AYUSH Systems of Medicine at international level.

The Ministry of Ayush has taken the following steps towards the international recognition for AYUSH systems of medicine:

- Signed  24  Country  to  Country  MoUs  for  Cooperation  in  field  of  Traditional Medicine and Homoeopathy with foreign nations.
- Signed  40  MoUs  with  international  institutes  for  undertaking  Collaborative Research / Academic collaboration.
- Signed 15 MoUs with international institutes for setting up of AYUSH Academic Chairs in foreign nations.
- supported the establishment of 39 Ayush Information Cells in 35 foreign nations.
- Offers  scholarships  to  foreign  nationals  for  undertaking  AYUSH  courses  in recognized AYUSH institutions in India under International Ayush Fellowship/Scholarship Programme.
- In  cooperation  with  QCI,  got  developed  Quality  Certification  programme  viz. Ayush mark and Premium mark to increase  reliability  of  standards  of  ASU&H Products.
- Given WHO-GMP (COPP) to 31 Ayurvedic Drug manufacturers to facilitate the export of Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani & Homoeopathy Drugs.
- Signed an agreement with WHO to establish WHO-GCTM in Jamnagar, Gujarat, the  ground-breaking  Ceremony  of  which  was  attended  by  the  Hon'ble  Prime Minister  of  India,  Director  General  of  WHO  and  other  esteemed  dignitaries  on 19.04.2022 in Jamnagar, Gujarat. This Centre aims to provide support to implement WHO's  traditional medicine strategy (2014-23) and to support nations in developing policies & action plans to strengthen the role of traditional medicine as part of their journey to universal health coverage.

(b) An AYUSH PHFI research Project/study entitled 'Assessment of integration of AYUSH into the public health system for combating COVID-19' is being conducted with the support of  WHO. The areas of Collaboration are Development of WHO terminology in Ayurveda, Unani,  Siddha,  and  WHO  publication  on  standard  terminology  in  Ayurveda,  Unani,  and Siddha. The All India Institute of Ayurveda, M/o AYUSH New Delhi with LSH&TM, UK is going to undertake 'Clinical trial of Ashwagandha for promoting recovery from Covid-19 in the UK'.

(c)    Yes,  Ministry  of  Ayush  launched  a  Central  Sector  Scheme  namely  Champion  Sector Services scheme for Medical Value Travel(CSSS) for Skill Development in Ayush Sector on Pan India basis. The Skill Development in Ayush Sector has the following objectives: (i) To develop  Ayush  specific  skilled  human  resource.  (ii)  Capacity  building  of  existing  skilled human resources. (iii) To promote Export of Services. (iv) To develop supporting structure for Ayush health services.

The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine is also working to improve the  quality  of  education,  through  education  and  clinical  skill  development,  regulatory provisions  &  streamlining  of  registration,  ethical  practice  of  Indian  System  of  Medicine throughout the Country.

The Ministry of Ayush also setup Ayush Academic Chair in foreign Universities and offers 104 scholarships to foreign scholars to study Ayush Systems in India under the Ayush

Scholarships programme. As of now, the Ministry of Ayush has signed 15 MoUs with foreign partner countries for setting up of Ayush Academic Chairs.

(d)   Yes, the Ministry of Ayush has collaborated with WHO to promote traditional systems of medicine on the following:

- o Signed  an  agreement  to  establish  WHO-GCTM  in  Jamnagar,  Gujarat,  the ground-breaking  Ceremony  of  which  was  attended  by  the  Hon'ble  Prime Minister of India, Director General of WHO and other esteemed dignitaries on 19.04.2022 in Jamnagar, Gujarat.
- o A Project Collaboration Agreement (PCA) was signed on 13th May, 2016 as an Umbrella MoU  for cooperation on promoting the quality, safety and effectiveness of service provision in traditional and complementary medicine.
- o Launching  four  WHO  benchmark  documents  developed  by  Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine Unit, WHO  as  part of the collaboration agreement (PCA).
- o Donor Agreement for developing a Second Module in the Traditional Medicine (TM) Chapter of the International Classification of Diseases -11 Revision (ICD11).
- o An AYUSH PHFI research Project/study entitled 'Assessment of integration of AYUSH into the  public  health  system  for  combating  COVID-19'  has  been conducted with the support of WHO.
- o Ministry  deputed  experts  at  WHO  Hq.  Geneva  for  supporting  the  work  of International  Pharmacopeia  of  Herbal  Medicine  (IPHM)  and  for  the  work related to development of WHO terminology for Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha.
- o Ministry has signed an agreement with WHO for the secondment at grade P5 to the  World  Health  Organization  (WHO),  Traditional,  Complementary  and Integrated Medicine Unit within the Department of Integrated Health Services (IHS).
- o Ministry has signed an agreement with WHO for the secondment of grade P4 at WHO SEAR office at New Delhi.

(e) Yes, the Ministry of Ayush has taken crucial policy measures to promote the traditional system of medicines in the country i.e. constitution of the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine, MoUs with the Ministry of Defence for establishing Ayurveda OPDs at AFMS Hospitals and Cantonment Board Hospitals, with Ministry of Railways for introduction of Ayush in Railway Hospitals, with Department of Science & Technology, Tripartite MoU between Ministry of Ayush, CSIR and ICAR, and collaborated with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises(MSME), and with the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) for providing technical support to Ministry of Ayush.

A Strategic Policy  and  Facilitation  Bureau  (SPFB) has been established  in  the Ministry  in collaboration with Invest India to facilitate investment in Ayush sector.

(f)  Yes,  the  Ministry  of  Ayush  has  constituted  a  committee  under  the  chairmanship  of Secretary, Ayush along with the Secretaries of Department of Science and Technology (DST), Department  of  Biotechnology  (DBT),  Department  of  Scientific  and  Industrial  Research (DSIR),  Department  for  Promotion  of  Industry  and  Internal  Trade(DPIIT),  Department  of

Commerce(DoC) and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of India (MoEF & CC) for promoting collaboration in Ayush research among scientific bodies. And Ministry of Ayush has collaborated with Department of Biotechnology for identifying research priorities for collaborative research under the purview of MoU between Ministry of Ayush & DBT, with Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)  for identifying, visualizing, planning, implementing and integrating common research areas between Ministry of Ayush & ICMR, with Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for integration of traditional systems of medicine and modern science.

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