Castigating the Union health ministry for not including the AYUSH systems into the National Commission for Human Resources in Health (NCHRH), the Ayurvedic Medicine Manufacturers Organisation of India (AMMOI) said the government’s move is an attempt to eradicate the traditional healing systems completely out of the country.

In a scathing attack on the neglect of the government, the Organisation has, in a letter to the union government and to the Parliamentary standing committee, said the policy makers have not given due respect to the suggestions and advice of the World Health Organisation (WHO) which has recently advocated for fostering traditional healing systems of its member countries.

The letter signed by AMMOI general secretary, Dr D Ramanathan, says that this downward support of the union government towards Ayush streams will thwart the promotional steps being taken by various state governments in the country. “Several states in India have separate departments and schemes for the promotion and development of ayush systems. But the overall controlling body is weak and not inclined, the streams will lose their growth in other places,” he commented.

While coming down heavily on the government for its imprudence and indiscrimination in framing health policies, AMMOI in its letter to the central government has wanted priority for AYUSH systems in the human resources bill for health. It has written to the Parliamentary Committee to consider the case of AYUSH community before taking a concrete decision with regard to the Bill. A suggestion for an alternative Bill exclusively for AYUSH systems was also mentioned in the letter. If so framed, that would suffice the needs of the Indian systems, AMMOI says.

“Our organisation is raising such a demand which would benefit the whole Ayush systems in the country. No organisation, either of manufacturers’ or of practitioners’ has so far not demanded to the government to include ayush in the draft bill or constitute a separate one for ayush alone. Nobody knows well about NCHRH or the impact of exclusion from it. Several organisations in India, especially the ayurveda people in Kerala, conduct various programmes, but none of them organises a meeting on the new Bill. The new generation practitioners of Indian systems must know about it, so there must be discussions on it. AMMOI will conduct an exclusive seminar on NCHRH Bill soon,” Dr Ramanathan, told Pharmabiz.

The NCHRH Bill includes the Medical Council of India (MCI), Dental Council of India (DCI), Nursing Council of India (NCI) and Pharmacy Council of India (PCI). But the Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) and the Central Council of Homoeopathy have been excluded. When the bill is enacted, it can control the MCI, DCI, PCI and NCI. When all segments of the health systems come under one umbrella, Ayush will get separated from the mainstream which will create the impression that the Indian systems are not part of the healthcare systems of the world. In such a situation the Ayush streams cannot stand independently.

Ramanathan further blamed the government for not giving insurance coverage for Ayush treatment and that no incentive for encouraging the system in the budget. If this negative attitude of the government towards the traditional method continues to exist, it will surely destroy the system very soon, he alleged. He said 30 per cent of the Indian community, especially those from the rural areas, depend on traditional methods for their healthcare needs.

While speaking to Pharmabiz, he said, as the secretary of the Ayurvedic Manufacturers organisation, he will meet the prime minister and apprise him of the plight faced by the Indian Ayush community.