The Ayurveda Medical Association of India (AMAI) has urged the Ayush Department to declare Ayurveda system of treatment as the mainstream medical system of the country.

The AMAI passed a unanimous resolution in this regard at its 15th state conference held at Kollam in Kerala on January 11.

The association has handed over the resolution in a memorandum to the Union Ayush Minister, Sreepad Yesso Naik, who was chief guest at the function. While replying, the minister said his department will consider the demand favourably and he invited a delegation from ayurveda community to Delhi to discuss more about it.

The memorandum also contained several important demands concerning issues prevailing in the Ayurveda sector. As a major demand, AMAI wanted the central government to take steps to introduce ayurveda medicines in the health wings of railways and defense. This will increase the accessibility of the medical system and job opportunities of several graduates.

Likewise, the hospitals of the ESI Corporation should have separate wings for all Ayush streams and ISM medicines should be dispensed through them.

In the educational sector, AMAI wanted more changes and improvements. Like in allopathy, government should start PG Courses in each stream of Ayurveda. Measures should be taken to get sufficient number of patients to the OP and IP wards of the self – financing and private medical colleges. All the teachers should be given the UGC scale salary.

Ayush ministry should chalk out programmes for improving the health of women and measures should be adopted to invite them into the field.

In the field of veterinary and horticulture, place of Ayurveda should be established and researches have to be undertaken, if needed. The Ayurveda doctors and manufacturers must be avoided from the purview of pollution control board certification.

The association has reiterated the demand for the formation of Ayush department in Kerala and requested the central minister to push the state government for it. One of other major demands is inclusion of Ayurveda in the insurance scheme, especially in all private insurance companies’ schemes.

Dr G Vinod Kumar, president of AMAI presided over the meeting and Dr Rejith Anand, general secretary, presented the resolutions.