Lok Sabha Question No. 4688 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-28
Subject: Public Perception of Traditional and Modern Medicines
Ministry: AYUSH
Asked by: Shri Vishaldada Prakashbapu Patil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AYUSH

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4688 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.03.2025

## Public Perception of Traditional and Modern Medicines

## 4688. Shri Vishaldada Prakashbapu Patil:

Will the Minister of Ayush be pleased to state:

(a)  whether the Government has conducted any surveys on public perception of traditional and modern medicines in the country;

(b)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  including  statistical  data  on  preference  for  modern  medicine compared with traditional medicine along with the reasons for such preferences;

(c)  whether modern medicine is preferred by the people of the country and if so, the steps taken by the Government to promote awareness and trust in Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homeopathy in the country;

(d)  the  details  of  policies  or  initiatives  encouraging  traditional  medicine  adoption  in  the country;

(e) whether the Government has analyzed user profiles to understand influencing factors and enhance its role in healthcare wherever traditional medicine is preferred in the country and if so, the details thereof;

(f)  whether  the  Government  plans  to  phase  out  or  reduce  reliance  on  modern  medicine  in favour of traditional medicine and if so, the details thereof; and

(g) whether any survey has been conducted in this regard and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF AYUSH (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)

(a) & (b): The Government has not conducted any surveys on public perception of traditional and modern medicines in the country. However, the first exclusive All-India survey on Ayush was conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) during July, 2022 to June, 2023 as a part of the National Sample Survey 79 th Round. It was found out in the said survey that 94.8 percentage of persons are aware of Ayush system of medicine and  46.3  percentage  of  persons  have  used  Ayush  system  of  medicine  for  prevention  or treatment of ailments, during last 365 days, in rural areas while 96 percentage of persons are

aware of Ayush system of medicine and 52.9 percentage of persons used Ayush system of medicine for prevention or treatment of ailments, during last 365 days, in urban areas.

(c)  &  (d):  No  statistical  data  is  available  on  the  preference  of  modern  medicine  over  the traditional  medicine  by  the  people  in  the  country.  However,  Ministry  of  Ayush  has undertaken various efforts to promote awareness and trust in traditional systems of medicine.

The Ministry of Ayush is implementing the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National Ayush Mission (NAM) through State/UT Governments for development and promotion of Ayush system of medicines and providing financial assistance to them as per the proposals received in  their  State  Annual  Action Plans (SAAPs) as per NAM guidelines. The mission includes provision mainly for the following: -

- i. Upgrading existing Ayush dispensaries and Health Sub-Centres to Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (Ayush). Out of the 12,500 approved Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (Ayush).
- ii. Co-location of Ayush facilities at Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs) and District Hospitals (DHs).
- iii.  Supply  of  essential  drugs  to  Government  Ayush  Hospitals,  Government  Dispensaries and Government/ Government aided Teaching Institutional Ayush Hospitals.
- iv.  Setting up of up to 10/30/50 bedded integrated Ayush Hospitals.
- v. Ayush Public Health Programs.
- vi.  Establishment of new Ayush colleges in the States where availability of Ayush teaching institutions is inadequate in Government Sector.
- vii. Infrastructural  development  of  Ayush  Under-Graduate  and  Ayush  Post-Graduate Institutions

The Ministry of Ayush  developed a Central Sector Scheme  namely  Promotion of International  Cooperation  in  Ayush  for  the  global  promotion  and  recognition  of  Ayush system of medicine. Under this scheme, the Ministry provides support to various stakeholders to promote Ayush research, products and services, academics etc. at an International level.

Ministry of Ayush has supported World Health Organization (WHO) to establish a Global Traditional Medicine Centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat, which has a strategic focus on evidence and learning, data and analytics, sustainability and equity, and innovation and technology to optimize the contribution of traditional medicine to global health and sustainable development.

The  Ministry  also  implements  the  Central  Sector  Scheme  for  Promotion  of  Information Education and Communication (IEC) in Ayush to create awareness regarding Ayush system of  Medicine.  This  scheme  aims  to  reach  out  to  all  sections  of  the  population  across  the country.  It  provides  assistance  for  organizing  National/  State  Arogya  Fairs,  Yoga  Fests/ Utsavs,  Ayurveda  Parvs,  etc.  The  Ministry  also  undertakes  Multi-Media,  Print  Media Campaigns for creating awareness about the Ayush system.

Ministry of Ayush launched a campaign namely 'Desh ka Prakriti Parikshan Abhiyan' on 9 th Ayurveda  Day  (29th  October,  2024)  with  the  aim  of  generating  awareness  among  people

about  the  concept  of  'Prakriti'  described  in  Ayurveda  and  assessing  their  Prakriti  for  a positive approach towards their health. The assessment was done through a dedicated mobile application with the assistance of dedicated volunteers including Students, Teachers, Ayurveda Practitioners, and Ayurvedic medical officers. The mobile app was based upon the logic provided by Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB) a unit of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) as per Ayurvedic Principles. Under this campaign, about 1.4 crore Indian citizens aged 18 years and above have undergone Prakriti assessment so far.

(e):  According  to  the  National  Sample  Survey  79 th Round,  the  most  prominent  reasons reported  by  the  households  who  have  used  Ayush  during  last  365  days  are  found  to  be following:

-  7 out of 10 households believe that Ayush medicines are effective
-  6 out of 10 households have faith or believe in Ayush
-  5 out of 10 households believe side effects are negligible
-  4 out of 10 households used Ayush because of
-  satisfying previous experiences, or
-  the raw materials are easily available, or
-  it was well known to local people
-  3 out of 10 households used Ayush because of
-  tradition or culture of using Ayush, or
-  the fact that Ayush strengthens and revitalizes body, or
-  Ayush medicines are inexpensive
-  2 out of 10 households used Ayush because of
-  availability of individualized personal care in Ayush, or
-  overall well-being/complete care

(f) & (g): There is no such plan to phase out or reduce reliance on modern medicine in favour of traditional medicine. However, Government of India is promoting integration of traditional medicine into modern medicine by adopting a strategy of Co-location of Ayush facilities at Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs) and District Hospitals (DHs), thus  enabling  the  choice  to  the  patients  for  different  systems  of  medicines  under  a single window.

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