The state general body of the Ayurveda Medicine Manufacturers Organisation of India (AMMOI) has welcomed the announcement by the Union government for grant of insurance coverage for ayurvedic treatment and settlement of claims.

“This is a fruition of our long standing demand and hard work for the purpose. AMMOI in association with the hospital management association in Kerala had made several attempts to get it done. Thanks to the Union Ministry of Ayush, especially to the Ayush minister and the secretary level officers”, said Dr D Ramanathan, general secretary of AMMOI.

Last month the Ayush ministry issued the guidelines for claiming insurance coverage for the ayurvedic therapies. The guidelines were framed after holding long discussion with Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) as well as 23 insurance companies and Ayurveda experts and industry representatives including Dr Ramanathan. He said he was the only representative chosen from industry side to attend the guidelines framing committee, said Dr. Ramanathan.

Responding to the decision of the Union government, experts in the Ayurveda sector said, the efforts of AMMOI need to be respected and recognized as the insurance coverage for the Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy treatments will help the traditional systems to develop more with the introduction of insurance cover for several treatment packages. Ayurveda physicians across Kerala have hailed the efforts of AMMOI and its general secretary for his tireless work taken with the union government. Many of the insurance companies have agreed to provide all their possible support to the mission, said a physician from an Ayurveda hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.

 Although this is a very good move from the union government, the government should consider an amendment in its decision to include the small scale Ayurveda hospitals within the purview of the insurance coverage. The present parameters for claims will help only the large scale institutions which are very few in number, said Dr Ramanathan.

The guidelines issued by the Ayush ministry state that  central or state government hospitals, NABH accredited ayurvedic hospitals, Ayurveda medical colleges, and ayurvedic hospitals with proper registration under appropriate act and having minimum fifteen beds and minimum five qualified and registered post graduate doctors are the eligible institutions for insurance claims.