Lok Sabha Question No. 18 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-02-02
Subject: Modernisation of AYUSH Medicines
Ministry: AYURVEDA,YOGA & NATUROPATHY,UNANI,SIDDHA AND HOMEOPATHY (AYUSH)
Asked by: Bidyut Baran Mahato, Sudhakar Tukaram Shrangre, Saikia Dilip, Ranjeetsingh Naik Nimbalkar, Shivkumar Chanabasappa Udasi, Naranbhai Bhikhabhai Kachhadiya

- (a) and (b) Yes.
- i. The  Government  has  established  Pharmacopoeia  Commission  for  Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy under the Ministry of Ayush, with the mandate to

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AYUSH LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-18 ANSWERED ON 02/02/2023

## Modernisation of AYUSH Medicines

## 18:  SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

SHRI SUDHAKAR TUKARAM SHRANGARE:

SHRI DILIP SAIKIA:

SHRI RANJEETSINGH NAIK NIMBALKAR:

SHRI SHIVAKUMAR C. UDASI:

SHRI NARANBHAI KACHHADIYA:

Will the Minister of Ayush be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has formulated any plan to modernize AYUSH medicines by integrating it with global standards in India as well as across the world;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the concrete steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to further strengthen and expand India's healthcare delivery system, AYUSH Insurance coverage, research and development along with policy formulation system?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF AYUSH

(SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

(c)

- i. The Government of India has adopted a strategy of co-location of Ayush facilities at  Primary  Health  Centres  (PHCs),  Community  Health  Centres  (CHCs)  and District Hospitals (DHs) under the National Ayush Mission (NAM). The Ministry

develop Pharmacopoeial standards for Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy.

- ii. The  Bay  of  Bengal  Initiative  for  Multi-Sectoral  Technical  and  Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) have been requested to adopt the Ayush Pharmacopoeias, i.e. Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API), Unani Pharmacopoeia  of  India  (UPI),  Siddha  Pharmacopoeia  of  India  (SPI),  and Homoeopathic  Pharmacopoeia  of  India  (HPI)  in  the  BIMSTEC  countries. Ministry  of  Ayush  has  signed  24  Country  to  Country  Memorandum  of Understanding  (MoUs)  for  cooperation  in  the  field  of  traditional  medicine. One of the activities of the MoU  is to get recognition of Ayush Pharmacopoeias on the mutual basis in the respective countries.  Further, the Ministry  of  Ayush  and  the  United  States  Pharmacopeial  Convention  (USP), USA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for cooperation in the field of Traditional medicine and to collaborate in the identification, development, and dissemination of science-based standards in this field at an international level.
- iii. The  Government  of  India  supported  WHO  in  publishing  four  benchmark documents on training and practice of the Ayurveda & Unani system and for developing terminology documents in Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha. The Government of India also supported WHO for the development of Traditional Medicine  Module  2  of  the  International  Classification  of  Diseases  11  (ICD11).
- iv. AYUSH verticals have been established under the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for developing and publishing Indian standards for respective systems.
- v. The  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  vide  circular  no.  584  dated  27.07.2023 introduced  a  new  Visa  Regime  under  chapter  11A  i.e.  Ayush  (AY)  visa  for foreigners visiting India for treatment under Ayush systems/ Indian systems of medicine and also to provide e-Ayush visa and e-Ayush Attendant visa to such foreigners.

of  Ayush  is  implementing  the  operationalisation  of  12,500  Ayush  Health  and Wellness  Centres  (AHWCs) under Ayushman Bharat as a component of NAM. The Government has also integrated Ayush in national programs like the National Programme  for  Prevention  and  Control  of  Cancer,  Diabetes,  Cardiovascular Diseases & Stroke (NPCDCS), and Reproductive and Child Health (RCH).

- ii. Ayush services are also integrated into the health infrastructure of other Ministries like  Ministry  of  Health  &  Family  Welfare,  Ministry  of  Defence,  Ministry  of Railways, Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) hospitals & dispensaries under the Ministry of Labour & Employment.
- iii. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) (Health Insurance) Regulations, 2016 provide coverage for one or more systems covered under 'AYUSH treatment'.
- iv. The infrastructure and capability of Ayush research councils have been strengthened  in  order  to  improve  the  quality  of  research.  Further,  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 (MoEF & CC) for promoting collaboration in Ayush research among scientific bodies.
- v. The Ministry of Ayush has also collaborated with reputed international organisations likeThe London  School of Hygiene &  Tropical Medicine (LSHTM),  London,  UK,  Frankfurt  Innovation  Center  (FIZ),  Germany,  etc.  to undertake research in Ayush systems.

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