Tamil Nadu government has initiated an action plan to promote the Indian Systems of Medicine in the state by adopting a multi-pronged strategy, with special emphasis to address the issues in medical education, research, making available the ISM medicines to the people at the district, taluk and primary health centre level and by improving the production and standardization of herbal drugs as per the GMP Rules.
According to the action plan for the year 2003 -04 unveiled last year, the programmes envisaged by the government are to increase the out reach and credibility of Indian Systems of Medicine, create neutrality in the services offered by the government institutions and to effectively complement the efforts of the modern side in making available health services to the common man.
Tamil Nadu hopes that the research and development efforts in Siddha system of medicine would get big fillip with the setting up of the proposed National Institute of Siddha, coming up at Thambaram near Chennai. Planned at an investment of over Rs 47 crore and funded by the Central Government over a period of six years, the proposed institute is planned to offer research and postgraduate courses in Siddha with advanced research facilities, besides an in-house hospital with latest medical infrastructure.
The facility is expected to bring in more streamlined, updated and enhanced level of education and treatment using Siddha system of Indian medicine, unique to Tamil Nadu. Further, the state hopes that the center could popularize Siddha medicine in a national and international way by attracting students and through the R&D efforts at the center. The Government of India has already released a sum of Rs 4 crores for the project and the construction work has been entrusted to the Central Public Works Department. The capital expenditure is being shared between the state and the central government in the ratio of 40:60, and the state has already given land measuring 14.78 acres free of cost for setting up the Institute.
Strengthening infrastructure in ISM is an important aspect of the government policy. It is estimated that there are 632 institutions providing medical treatment under the Indian Systems of Medicine in the state, with an inpatient capacity of over 1000 beds. In order to create more infrastructure, the government has sanctioned 39 additional wings under Indian Systems of Medicine for the Taluk and Non-Taluk Hospitals, during 2003-04. Further, Indian Systems of Medicine wings were also sanctioned for 50 Primary Health Centres during the 2002-2003 period. A sum of about Rs 65 lakh have been sanctioned to start ISM wings at 25 primary health centers in the state, and hopes to open Indian Systems of Medicine wings in all the Primary Health Centres in a phased manner.
Conducting free ISM medical camps in various districts, augmenting the activities of the Tamil Nadu State Medicinal Plant Board to help in conservation and sustainable use and cultivation of medicinal plants and export of such products, conducting international conferences in the state to promote the ISM worldwide are some of the projects planned by the government in near future.
Further, with a central government assistance of Rs 8 lakhs, the state has plans of implementing a Pilot Scheme of Home Remedies exclusively in the Theni District. Under this scheme, simple home remedies based on the Indian Systems are being distributed to rural people free of cost with the help of Trained Village Health Nurses. The required medicines will be supplied by the TAMPCOL.
The government has taken efforts to streamline the ISM education and practice in the state. At present, the annual intake for the graduate course in Indian Medicine under the Government Colleges and Private Colleges is about 250 and 800 respectively. The Post Graduate Course is offered only in the Government Colleges and the annual intake is 80. Under the Tamil Nadu Siddha System of Medicine (Development and Registration of Practitioners) Act, 1997', the Tamil Nadu Siddha Medical Council is the statutory registration body for the registration of Siddha practitioners for practicing in Tamil Nadu. According to the council, about 7000 practitioners are working in the state under three categories, including over 2500 graduates.
Apart from the Siddha council, the Tamil Nadu Board of Indian Medicine has been functioning as a board for the registration of Indian Medical Practitioners for Ayurveda, Unani and Naturopathy Systems. About 4000 Ayurvedic, 1200 Unani and 50 odd naturopathy practitioners are practicing in the state according to the board. Under the Tamil Nadu Homeo Medical Council, about 17,000 homeo doctors are practicing in the state.