The Chennai-based herbal medicine research institute, Centre for Traditional Medicines and Research (CTMR) has put up a set of proposals before the Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) in order to improve the quality of Indian system of medicines and to make it on par with international healthcare standards.  The Centre also suggested measures to augment the quality standards of Ayush education in the country.

While briefing the suggestions before an expert committee constituted by department of Ayush, the secretary of CTMR, Dr. T. Thirunarayanan, highlighted that the objective of CCIM was to provide quality standards for clinical services. He said the central council has to restructure the present mode of work and undertake programs to develop the Ayush streams.  In conjunction with innovative measures for development, steps should also be taken to ensure patient safety by effectively reducing the morbidity and mortality rates.

Regarding CTMR’s suggestions for increasing the quality of Ayush education,  Dr Thirunarayanan said currently efforts are made for enforcement of minimal standards in Ayush colleges.  Continued revision of curriculum and syllabus of all the courses is required and steps should be taken towards that goal. Likewise, focus should be given to implement the best quality standards of clinical services to the patients and for increasing the operational standards for hospitals and clinical establishments.

A major proposal for developing the Ayush system CTMR made before CCIM experts was that the department of Ayush should constitute a Medical Audit Body/Committee in order to monitor the clinical incidents, clinical complaints, medico legal cases and other serious reportable events.  The Centre wanted the attention of union health minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan and the ruling party’s medical cell in this regard. There should be expert bodies to review the clinical practices and conduct disciplinary inquiries on professionally unethical practices of registered Ayush professionals. Government should also implement measures for stringent actions against unethical advertisements through print and visual media.

The CCIM should ensure development of standard treatment protocols as per WHO guidelines for traditional medicines also. There should be established principles for treatment costs for different procedures which would help cover the system under health insurance.

Government should recognise the major Ayush hospitals, both in the public and private sectors, and award NABH accreditations to those deserving institutions. Similarly, licensing and ensuring minimal standard requirements for any operational clinics/treatment centres are to be maintained. Formation of a central risk management body for the purpose of monitoring clinical incidents and adverse events should also be considered.