Aiming to provide proper quality care to the patients undergoing treatment under ayurvedic system of medicine, the department of Ayush in cooperation with School of Health Sciences, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Delhi will introduce a certificate course in Ayush-Nursing  (Ayurveda) for Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANM)/ General Nursing & Midwifery (GNM) from July this year across country. IGNOU is also planning to begin certificate programmes in Unani and Homoeopathy in the coming years.

This programme is designed to discuss the current issues and trends in Ayurveda, to develop skills to provide nursing care to patients admitted to hospitals providing care through the ayurvedic systems of medicine, to develop understanding and depth in performing ayurvedic nursing skills and to apply knowledge of Ayurveda in diverse settings- hospital and community.

“As per government of India's report on Human Resources for the health sector, there is no ANM trained nurses in Ayurveda.  So the GOI along with IGNOU has decided to start this programme to provide certified quality professionals in this field. IGNOU with its large network has the capability of catering to the needs of a large number of aspirants,” said M Rajesh, regional director of IGNOU, Mumbai.

Prof. Bimla Kapoor, director of School of Health Sciences, IGNOU, Delhi said that this course will be conducted by IGNOU in 20 Ayurvedic Colleges throughout the country as identified by Department of Ayush as Programme Study Centres. “In our country we have around 20 centres which includes: Government Ayurveda College, Thiruvananthapuram, Govt Ayurveda College Mysore, RA Podar Medical College (AYU), Mumbai, Ayurvedic & Unani Tibbia College, New Delhi, Rajiv Gandhi Ayurvedic College, Paprola, J B Roy Govt Ayurvedic College, West Bengal, SDM Ayurvedic College, Udupi, Govt. Ayurveda College, Nagpur, etc.. which have intake capacity to admit 30 students having ANM/GNM qualification and already in service,” she added.

Prof. Kapoor added that GoI has mentioned that the required centres should have 30 candidates in service for ANM/GNM in Ayurveda Hospitals across the country for training at the Ayurveda colleges. Although this course is designed for all ANM/GNMs even then preference for the first year may be given to ANM/GNM employed in Ayurveda Hospitals in the states. In case of non-availability of ANM/GNM in the Ayurveda Hospitals then the interested ANM/GNM candidate in the allopathic hospitals can be nominated to go for training in this course.

The minimum duration of the programme is for 6 months and the maximum duration is for two years, and also the students will be given hands on training by the existing Ayurveda faculty in identified centres.