Representing the stakeholders of the Ayush systems of medicine, the promoters of Siddha system from Tamil Nadu have urged the Union Ministry of Ayush to recommend each state government in the country to form separate ministry for the alternative systems.

The promoters, mostly experts from clinical and academic field, feel that if an independent ministry is formed for ayush under the Tamil Nadu government, the Siddha stream can be accorded the priority it deserves. Besides, all the five systems will get due importance in healthcare managements and the prominence given to single system in each state can be avoided. For example, in Tamil Nadu more importance is given to Siddha stream, in Kerala priority is given to Ayurveda and in West Bengal Homoeopathy stands first in Ayush.

“Since traditional health systems are functioning under separate department of health ministry in each state, the ayush streams are not getting preferences in healthcare schemes. Only with a ministry with independent charge, the traditional systems can be developed and promoted,” said a senior academic expert in Siddha.

Currently, the Siddha system in Tamil Nadu is administered by the Department of Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy under a Commissioner.  As long as the system remains under a secretary or commissioner, the issues in the sector cannot be adequately dealt with. There are so many issues in the industry, in the trade sector, in academic area and in the clinical side. None of these issues is solved by the department and accessibility for public with the bureaucrats and senior officials is very poor. The result is, the traditional system in the state cannot become a full-fledged system of traditional treatment.

According to experts working with the Centre for Traditional Medicines & Research (CTMR) in Chennai, a harmonized approach within ayush streams is necessary to address various disease conditions. For cancer and diabetes, medicines from both Ayurveda and Siddha are helpful to manage various conditions as the ingredients in the medicines are common. Instead of treating with medicines from a single system of Ayush, the managers of healthcare can use various medicines from different systems in order to have a perfect and holistic way of treatment. Most of the ayush medicines are complimentary to each other for certain disease conditions.

Clinicians point out the necessity of a common guideline for ayush treatment throughout the country. The present method is to concentrate on one system, it has to be changed and in place concentration of all systems in ayush should be made. Instead of the system-wise treatment, we need disease-wise treatment for which common guideline is required. The central ayush ministry should take the initiative and it should also recommend each state government to set up Ayush ministry and make common guidelines for treatment.