Indian government to fund traditional medicines

Published: 1-Jun-2015

Government to allocate US$785m for the growth of the Department of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy)


In a bid to foster the traditional medicines sector, the Indian government has announced the allocation of US$785m for the growth of the Department of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy). An independent National AYUSH Mission will also be launched, aimed at building capacity building for the sector.

'The independent mission will ensure creation of a centre of excellence for Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy independently,' said Sripad Naik, Union Minister of State for AYUSH. 'For creating awareness about ayurveda, the ministry is also considering to observe Ayurveda Day.'

He added that India and China tend to use the largest number of medicinal plants in the world. 'Traditional Chinese medicines have seen easy acceptance across the globe, but Indian Ayurvedic medicines, which have seen a 25% rise in its sales in the last 10 years - the highest such increase in the world - are yet to gain global acceptance,' he observed.

Sandu Pharmaceuticals Managing Director Shashank Sandu said: 'Ayurveda is a great heritage of Indian science. During the British era, the ancient medical science was ridiculed. Despite the ill treatment, a few practitioners and believers of Ayurveda continued advocating it and its usefulness.' Unlike other medicinal systems, Ayurveda advocates restoration of health and prevention of disease more than cure of disease. Ayurveda is practised throughout the country, including in tribal and remote areas where other modes of therapies are not readily available.

Health Minister Vardhan had earlier pointed out that the chief objective of the mission was to encourage integration of AYUSH with modern medicine and create a holistic healthcare system that could be emulated globally and that would achieve the universal goal of health for all.

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