Ayurvedic medicines in tribal areas
DATE: 25 MAR 2022
The Ministry of Ayush has established Central Council of Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), New Delhi as an Autonomous Organization. It is an apex body in India for undertaking, coordinating, formulating, developing and promoting research on scientific lines in Ayurvedic sciences. The activities are carried out through its 30 Institutes/Centers/Units located all over India and also through collaborative studies with various Universities, hospitals and Institutes.
For the welfare of the tribal people, CCRAS is conducting a “Tribal Health Care Research Programme (THCRP)” under Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) through 14 CCRAS Institutes in identified ST Dominant Villages/Areas of 14 States (Annex) by providing health care services. Beside this, Council is documenting Local Health Traditions prevalent in the tribal areas. Activities carried out under this programme are:
(i) To study the living conditions of tribal people
(ii) To collect information related to health statistics
(iii) Study of dietetic habits
(iv) Nature and frequency of prevalent diseases etc.
(v) Documentation of use of common medicinal plants in the area
(vi) Provision of incidental medical aid at their door steps
(vii) Propagation of knowledge about Ayurvedic concept of Pathyapathya including hygiene habits, dietary practice through behavior change counseling (BCC) for prevention of diseases and health promotion by Providing IEC material.
(viii) Documentation of demographic profile & Collect information on folk medicines/ traditional practices prevalent in the area.
(ix) Prevention of disease by adopting healthy way of living & clean environment
The Ministry has developed a Central Sector Scheme for Promotion of International Co-operation in AYUSH (IC Scheme) under which Ministry of Ayush provides support to Indian Ayush Manufacturers/ Ayush Service providers to give boost to export of AYUSH products & services; facilitate International promotion, development and recognition of AYUSH system of medicine; foster interaction of stakeholders and market development of AYUSH at international level; promote academics and research through establishment of AYUSH Academic Chairs in foreign countries and holding training workshop/symposiums for promoting and strengthening awareness and interest about AYUSH Systems of Medicine at international level.
Ministry of Ayush has taken following steps towards promoting export of Ayurvedic medicines:
(i) Ministry has signed 25 country to country MoUs for Cooperation in field of Traditional Medicine and Homoeopathy with foreign nations.
(ii) 32 MoUs have been signed with international institutes for undertaking Collaborative Research / Academic collaboration.
(iii) 14 MoUs have been signed with international institutes for setting up of Ayush Academic Chairs in foreign nations.
(iv) Ministry of Ayush has provided support for establishment of 38 Ayush Information Cells in 34 foreign nations.
(v) The “Ayush Export Promotion Council” has been registered under section 8(4) of the Companies Act 2013 on 04.01.2022 under the Ministry of Ayush in support of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to tackle the obstacles for registration of AYUSH products abroad, undertaking of market studies and research activities abroad
(vi) Ministry of Ayush provides scholarship to foreign nationals under AYUSH Fellowship scheme.
(vii) MoUs have been signed with London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSH&TM), UK and Frankfurter Innovationszentrum Biotechnologie GmbH (FIZ), Frankfurt Germany for clinical research studies on mitigation of COVID-19 through Ayurveda.
(viii) Ministry of Ayush issued advisories on protecting people from COVID and staying healthy in English as well as in 08 other foreign languages.
(ix) Ministry of Ayush provides AYUSH Educational Training to regulators of foreign nations.