Following growing resistance from modern medicine practitioners to practice in rural areas, the government of Madhya Pradesh is planning to give permission to Ayush doctors to prescribe allopathic medicines for certain diseases, according to sources from health department.

Most of the PHCs and sub-centres in the villages are running short of MBBS doctors. So, for the healthcare management of the people, the qualified and working Ayurveda doctors in the government service will be given permission to prescribe allopathic medications for the patients in the rural areas where allopathy doctors are not working. Before giving permission to practice allopathy, they will be given special training and the official process in this regard is in the pipeline, said Dr. Prakash Chandra Sharma, deputy director at the state department of Ayush, Madhya Pradesh.

While talking to Pharmabiz at the MP IPA Conclave in Indore in last week, he said the system of Ayurveda has gained acceptance in the state, especially among the rural people. In urban areas the acceptance is more than 20 per cent.

All kinds of classical Ayurveda medicines are available in the government run hospitals and medical colleges. Besides, plenty of proprietary drugs are also in the market. A separate ministry is there for Ayush in Madhya Pradesh, under which a strong enforcement wing is working. There are many Ayush drug manufacturing units and academic institutions both in the public and private sector. The Ayush pharmacies and manufacturing units are strictly monitored by special drug inspectors in addition to the 51 district medical officers who are also assigned to inspect the manufacturing facilities and medical stores, said the regulatory officer.

He said, seven Ayurveda colleges, one homeopathy college and one unani college are working in the government sector. In the private sector, five Ayurveda colleges, three Unani colleges and 15 homeopathy colleges are functioning in his state.

Ayurveda healthcare institutions include a total of 1500 government dispensaries, 21 district hospitals and seven medical colleges. In all these institutions good number of patients is coming every day, and the wards of IP and OP are always full, he pointed out, saying that Ayurveda has very good scope in north India.

Regarding availability of raw materials for the production of medicines, he said department is buying it from other parts of the country and also from local farmers. The state medicinal plant board (MPMPB) is supporting for procuring medicinal plants.

In the case of manufacturing companies, he said in the public sector there are two drugs manufacturing units, one each for Ayurveda and Unani. Currently, no government production facility is there for Homoeopathy, but it is under pipeline.

In the private sector there are about 600 Ayush medicine manufacturing companies operating in various places, majority of them are in Indore and in Jabalpur.

When interacted with some manufacturers of Ayurveda drugs, they said the guidelines issued by the central Ayush department in terms of quality compliance have badly affected the growth of small scale manufacturing units. Most of them are unable to comply with all the norms, hence they are struggling now. In various parts of the state, about 600 Ayush doctors are working in NRHM units.

When matter about the pathetic situation of the Ayush manufacturing units was put to the MP IPA branch for response, Dr S B Rijhwani, the president, said he will take up the issue and bring it to the attention of the state Ayush minister.