The union health ministry will soon engage an agency to conduct a comprehensive and in-depth assessment of impact of various centrally sponsored schemes/central sector schemes of the department of Ayush. The evaluation is being done to bring out the impact of the scheme in achieving its stated objectives. The evaluation will also bring out, in qualitative and quantitative terms, the efficiency and effectiveness of the schemes.

For the purpose, the Ayush department has already invited expression of interest from reputed agencies/organisations having experience in undertaking evaluation studies in health sector preferably government schemes.

The evaluation will be conducted in two parts. Part 1 will be called ‘short term deliverable’, while part 2 will be called ‘long term deliverables’.

For part 1 of the study, the agency has to conduct the evaluation study and submit the draft report within four months after award and final report should be submitted one month after approval of draft report by the department. For part 2, the time schedule shall begin after submission of the final report of part 1 of the study. Like in part 1 of the study, the report of part 2 will also be submitted in draft form and in final form, and the same time schedule as mentioned for part 1 of the study will be followed.

The list of schemes of the department for which evaluation study is to be carried out in the category of centrally sponsored schemes are: Promotion of Ayush like development of institutions; development of Ayush hospitals and dispensaries and mainstreaming of Ayush under NRHM; and quality control of Ayush drugs, development of tertiary care facilities in PPP mode, and   national mission on medicinal plants.

The list of schemes of the department for which evaluation study is to be carried out in the category of centre sector scheme include: Central sector scheme for supporting re-orientation training, continuing medical education and exposure programmes of Ayush (related information); scheme for acquisition, cataloging, digitization and publication of text book & manuscripts; scheme for upgradation to centres of excellence; scheme for public health initiatives scheme; scheme for revitalization of local health traditions, midwifery practices etc; scheme for extra mural research projects on Indian systems of medicine and homoeopathy; central sector scheme for promotion of international co-operation in Ayush; central sector scheme for promotion of information, education, and communication (IEC) in Ayush, assistance for exchange programme/seminar/conference/workshop on Ayush; and scheme for development of Ayush industry clusters.

In the part 2 of the evaluation, the agency has to document the specific objectives/deliverables of the scheme and comments on the extent of their clarity; to analyze the geographical distribution of the number of individual projects supported under the scheme; to analyze and report after comparison, the extent to which the objectives of the projects supported, matched with the objectives of the scheme (whether the right projects which conformed to the objectives actually supported); to document the financial performance of the scheme in relation to the approved cumulative budget outlays provided; and to document achievements and analyze to what extent the outputs/outcomes (evidenced from objectively verifiable data) fulfill the objectives of the scheme.