Sceptical doctors oppose NMC bill

Preetu Nair| TNN | Dec 18, 2017, 12:26 IST

Times of India

KOCHI: The new National Medical Commission (NMC) that abolishes Medical Council of India (MCI) will allow even Ayush (department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) graduates to get registration in modern medicine. This was stated in the internal note forwarded by Indian Medical Association (IMA) national president Dr KK Aggarwal to members across the country a few days after the Union cabinet approved the NMC Bill.
Section 15.II (b) of the MCI Act ensured that that the basic qualification to practise modern medicine is MBBS. But this clause has been removed in the new bill. Also a new

'Schedule-IV' has been added that authorises government or NMC to allow any graduate (read Ayush) they deem fit to practise modern medicine.

In other words, once this bill becomes an Act, even an ayurveda or unani practitioner can practise modern medicine. "We fear that this will lead to dilution of medical profession and encourage quacks. Rather than going ahead, we are actually going back and leaving loopholes that can be misused," said chairman of IMA national action committee Dr RV Ashokan.

The nod for the bill came after several complaints were filed against MCI and its top officials for using its sweeping powers to derecognise medical colleges and manipulating admissions to mint money. In 2005, Union health minister DrAnbumani Ramadoss tried unsuccessfully to bring in a legislation to dissolve MCI and set up another council under the control of the health ministry. The parliamentary standing committee rejected it.

Govt nod to continue National Ayush Mission till March 2020

Representational Pic

The Cabinet today approved the continuation of centrally sponsored scheme of National Ayush Mission (NAM) till March 31, 2020 with an outlay of Rs 2,400 crore over the period.

The Mission was launched in September 2014 with the objectives of providing cost effective traditional Indian medicine services like Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH).

It involves upgradation of AYUSH hospitals and dispensaries, strengthening institutional capacity at the state level through upgrading such educational institutions, pharmacies, drug testing laboratories and supporting cultivation of medicinal plants by adopting good agricultural practices.

The NAM is addressing the gaps in health services by supporting the efforts of state/UT governments for providing AYUSH health services/education in the country, particularly in vulnerable and far-flung areas.

It also aims at improved availability of quality AYUSH drugs by increased number of quality pharmacies and drug testing laboratories coupled with stringent enforcement mechanism.

It is also working for increased awareness and acceptance of the Yoga and Naturopathy as promotive and preventive health-care systems. PTI

Bengal Govt to set up AYUSH hospital in Paschim Medinipur

Kolkata | Monday, Dec 11 2017 IST

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A 50-bedded integrated hospital dedicated to AYUSH (ayurveda, yoga, unani, siddha and homeopathy) medications is going to be set up by the West Bengal Government in Paschim Medinipur district. Ever since coming to power, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been laying emphasis on the building of infrastructure in AYUSH treatment methods. A separate department has been formed, headed by a minister, to accelerate various AYUSH projects. The Chief Minister had inaugurated a similar facility in Alipurduar a few months ago. The State Government's stress on AYUSH stems from two facts: They comprise some of the oldest and traditional forms of treatment across Bengal and AYUSH treatments are cost-effective, hence advantageous to the economically challenged. As a result, the AYUSH system of medication has a significant role in delivering healthcare to the masses. The government plans to make the hospital, to come up on a few acres, one of the finest AYUSH hospitals in the country. Doctors from both the state and outside the state will be invited to serve patients. In another major development, the State Government has decided to open separate units of AYUSH in the subsidiary healthcare units in all the districts of the state. AYUSH units have already been set up in the districts of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Birbhum, Paschim Medinipur, Nadia, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas. According to a senior official of the AYUSH Department, adequate number of medical officers will be recruited in all the subsidiary health centres and adequate medicines will be made available in all the units so that poor patients can avail them free of cost. Ms Banerjee has brought a sea change in the overall health infrastructure of Bengal through various new initiatives and revamping some of the old ones, according to a party statement here today.UNI SJC KK

Khanqah Samarqandia Rahamganj Darbhanga

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26 mn jobs by 2020 in AYUSH

AYUSH industry may create 26 mn jobs by 2020: Suresh Prabhu

PTI|

Updated: Dec 04, 2017, 12.57 PM IST

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The AYUSH industry is expected to grow in double digits and provide direct employment to 1 million people and indirect jobs to 25 million persons by 2020, Union minister Suresh Prabhu said today.

The government is eyeing a three-fold increase in the AYUSH sector by 2022.

AYUSH stands for traditional systems of medicine and healthcare such as Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha andHomoeopathy.

"The Indian domestic market of AYUSH is estimated to be Rs 500 crore, while exports amount to Rs 200 crore. Young Indian entrepreneurs planning a start-up could find a lot of opportunities in holistic healthcare," Prabhu said.

Addressing the conference on wellness, Arogya 2017, here, the commerce and industry minister said the government will be happy to work with all countries to create a good proposition wherein knowledge of traditional medicine can be transmitted to people, whereby a win-win situation can be developed.

He pointed out that the government has allowed 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in AYUSH, and highlighted the need for stakeholders to pool in their resources to harness the sector's vast potential.

"With a wealth of 6,600 medicinal plants, India is the second largest exporter of AYUSH and herbal products in the world. We now have the opportunity to mainstream the Indian system of medicine and integrate the AYUSH infrastructure into Indian healthcare system," Prabhu said.

The secretary in the AYUSH ministry, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, said the ministry is committed to increasing the size of AYUSH sector three-fold in the next five years.

International Conference On Ayush 2017

Nov, 28 2017

International Conference On Ayush To Begin On 4th Dec. In Delhi

Thousands Of Delegates From India And Abroad, As Well As Over 200 Hosted Delegates From More Than 60 Countries Including Importers, Regulators And Government Officials Will Attend The Show

BY Franchise India Bureau

The first international conference and exhibition on AYUSH and wellness systems, International Arogya 2017, is being organized in Delhi from December 4-7, 2017 by FICCI in collaboration with Govt. of India’s Ministry of AYUSH and Ministry of Commerce & Industry, and Pharmaexcil.

The four-day event will showcase the strength and scientific validation of traditional Indian systems of medicine in the global context, including Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homoeopathy (AYUSH), and facilitate their worldwide promotion, development and recognition.

International Arogya 2017 will be inaugurated by Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shripad Yesso Naik, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India, in the presence of Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India; Rita Teaotia, Secretary, Dept. of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India; and Dr. Sanjaya Baru, Secretary General, FICCI, and other dignitaries.

Thousands of delegates from India and abroad, as well as over 200 Hosted Delegates from more than 60 countries including importers, regulators and Government officials will attend the show. More than 250 manufacturers of alternative medicine will showcase their products and services. The mega event will bring key stakeholders of AYUSH sector under one roof, help boost exports of AYUSH products, and showcase latest research and developments in alternative medicine systems of India.

Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Special Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India said“The National Health Policy 2017 has strongly advocated mainstreaming the potential of AYUSH within a pluralistic system of Integrative healthcare. It uses a new language of ‘medical pluralism’ and re-emphasizes the need for integrating AYUSH in the National Health Mission, research and education. There is sufficient momentum now through various initiatives and tremendous support from all quarters to bring the traditional medicine systems to a higher pedestal in healthcare. With International Arogya 2017, I am happy to see all stakeholders coming together to further this cause.”

Vinay Mathur, Deputy Secretary General, FICCI, said “India has a long history of using traditional medicines in healthcare, and developing them with modern scientific outlook. We are witnessing a highly receptive environment where the value of AYUSH systems is widely recognized worldwide, translating into growing global demand. A slew of reforms in administration, research strategies, nature of practice and education are underway, leading to heightened interest in the AYUSH system of medicine, both in India and abroad. India is already a major exporter of Ayurvedic and alternate medicines in the world, and the scope of growth is huge. The global herbal market is estimated to reach $5 trillion by 2050, up from the current level of $62 billion. Events like International Arogya will go a long way in enabling India to actualize this potential and take global leadership role in alternative medicine systems.”

A major highlight of International Arogya 2017 will be Indian CEOs’ Roundtable, chaired by Shri Shripad Yesso Naik, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of AYUSH. The event will also host sessions built around themes like Enhancing the export potential of AYUSH; Business opportunities in integrative healthcare; Building a brand strategy; Standardization and quality control in AYUSH sector; and a workshop on essential herbal raw materials required in AYUSH Industry.

A FICCI and Frost & Sullivan Knowledge Paper titled “AYUSH for the World Market Access Handbook” will be released. International regulators from ASEAN and BIMSTEC countries, Canada and Switzerland will meet Indian regulators and industry leaders. There will also be a meet of medicinal plant cultivators. Visitors will be offered free health check-ups and consultation, lectures and counselling by specialists of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Homoeopathy, Prakriti Pariksha and Nadi Pariksha.

Ayush practitioners are welcome to UAE

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Dubai, Nov 10 (UNI) Practitioners of traditional medicine systems in India are welcome to offer their services in the United Arab Emirates, the Emirate's Minister of State for Tolerance Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan has said.

"Ancient Indian practices recognise the uniqueness of every individual and treat them accordingly...

There is a need for ancient Indian medicinal practices in the country, and the UAE welcomes this ancient principle to be combined with conventional medicine to provide patients in the UAE with holistic wellbeing, " Al Nahyan said at the AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) conference here.

Top officials of the healthcare industry in India and the UAE, including AYUSH Minister Shripad Yesso Naik are attending the conference.

"We aim to strengthen the presence of Ayush in UAE. Our objective is to promote best practices of traditional medicine and exchange of information and expertise amongst each other,"Naik said.

"Traditional healthcare practices are deeply imbibed in our culture, and the dependence of traditional medicine is very high. I believe that it can be meaningfully harnessed for prevention and control of non-communicable diseases," he said.

The conference is one of the first initiatives being undertaken by the Ayush ministry to spread ancient traditional Indian systems of medicine in the region.Naik said the Indian government will award 100 Emirati, and UAE-based non-Indian students full-scholarships if they wish to study Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy in universities across India.

The ministry is also in talks with the UAE Ministry of Health to set up an Ayush chair in Dubai.

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