The Kerala Government will soon legislate the Ayurvedic Centres Licensing and Regulation Act to regulate the mushrooming Ayurvedic treatment centres in the state, mainly operating in the health tourism sector.

Government sources informed Pharmabiz.com that a final draft of the bill, initiated jointly by the State Tourism Department, Health Department and the Local Self Government Department, has been submitted to the Government by the tourism department. The bill is likely to be tabled for approval before the state assembly in the forthcoming session.

Sources said with the Ayurvedic Centres Licensing and Regulation Act, all the Ayurvedic Centres catering to tourists in the state would have to get a clearance certificate from the health department, besides license from the concerned local bodies for operations. The license will be issued for only one year, and the firm will have to renew it every year, subject to inspection by a team of officials from the state health department and tourism department.

With a view to ensure quality and facilities to the patients, stringent rules have been incorporated in the draft in the case of quality parameters like medicines, staff strength, types of treatments and infrastructure, it is learnt.

It is to note that in the last few years, Kerala, one among the most vibrant tourism destinations in India, has witnessed mushrooming of a number of Ayurvedic clinics and Panchakarma centres. It is alleged that many of these firms lack quality and seasoned Ayurvedic practitioners to attend the patients and tourists who are lured to the hype on rejuvenation therapies offered by these centres. Though there are only less than 75 tourism department approved Ayurvedic Centres, hotels and traditional Ayurvedic centres in the state, the number of Ayurveda and Panchakarma offering clinics will run to four to five times of that, say sources.