As part of its efforts to promote Indian systems of medicine and homoeopathy by way of increasing production, sale, acceptability, and generate employment opportunities, the Kerala government has decided to frame a dedicated Ayush policy for the state.

This is the first concrete step being taken by the Kerala government to strengthen the basis of the traditional treatment systems after the formation of the department of Ayush in the state recently. The policy will be on the lines of the national policy on Indian systems of medicines and homoeopathy followed by central Ayush department.

In order to formulate the policy of the state, government has decided to constitute a 25-member draft committee representing the five systems of Ayush such as Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Homoeopathy, and Yoga and Naturopathy. The director of department of ISM has been asked to identify and nominate the members to the government. Each system will have five representations to the committee besides ex-officio members. The committee will discuss and finalise the proposals given by each association and experts in the field.

According to sources, government wants to announce the Ayush policy before its term expires in May next year.

Currently, the department of Ayush is following the health policy of the state which was drafted by experts from allopathy system. It is alleged that Ayush system has been sidelined in the present health policy, so it is dwindling in the state. If a new policy for Ayush alone is in force, it will surely help Indian systems grow, and more funds can be availed through central pool for its growth.

“On implementation of the new policy, the traditional systems under Ayush will function on the basis of the policy. It is expected that department will get more financial aids from central and state governments and they can be utilised for various schemes adopted by each wing of the department. Currently, Ayush department gets only 5 per cent of the central aid, 95 per cent is consumed by the allopathic wing,” said an officer close to the ISM department.

Welcoming the decision of the government in formulating an exclusive Ayush policy, the general secretary of Ayurveda Medical Association of India (AMAI), Dr Rejith Anand, said his organisation will submit a detailed proposal to the draft committee.

From the manufacturers’ side, Dr D Ramanathan, managing director of Seetharam Ayurveda Pharmacy at Thrissur, said the manufacturers’ organisation has already submitted a proposal on Ayurveda education to the government for consideration.