National Health Mission Prioritizes AYUSH Integration Across Health Facilities

Medicaljagat
- Science
- 31 July 2024

National Health Mission Prioritizes AYUSH Integration Across Health Facilities

New Delhi: Mainstreaming AYUSH is a key initiative of the National Health Mission (NHM), which aims to provide accessible, affordable and quality healthcare, Union AYUSH Minister Pratapara Rao Jadhav announced on Tuesday. NHM supports the participation of physicians and physicians specializing in Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani and Siddha Homeopathy, provided they are involved in existing district hospitals, community health centers and primary health centres. Priority is given to remote community health centers and primary health centers.

As of December 31, AYUSH has been integrated into 13,222 facilities under NHM. These include 6,612 primary health centers, 3,035 community health centers, 469 district hospitals, 2,916 health facilities above the sub-center but below the block level, and 190 facilities other than community health centers at or above the block level but below the district level. Additionally, 27,421 AYUSH doctors and 4,581 paramedics are stationed at various co-located health facilities.

According to the Ayushman Bharat initiative, it is helping states to convert small and primary health centers across the country into centers of health and wellness. This strategy aims to provide a first-class health care continuum of care to achieve universal health coverage, which includes preventive health care and health promotion at the community level. AYUSH medicine is also included in the ASHA drug kit for managing primary conditions at the community level.

The North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda and Folk Medicine Research, located in Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh, has been established to revitalize and promote folk healing practices and folk medicine. The institute documents ethnomedicinal practices and scientifically validates folk claims. It also works on developing capacity among traditional healers and organizes awareness camps to highlight the potential of folk healing practices and folk medicine.