12,500 health and wellness centres need to be identified for rendering AYUSH services: Shripad Naik

As many as 12,500 health and wellness centres need to be identified for making Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) services available to the people in a hassle-free manner, said Shripad Yesso Naik, Minister of State for (Independent Charge) AYUSH, on Wednesday.

"12,500 health and wellness centres need to be identified across the country for rendering AYUSH services to the people at grass-root level with special reference to preventive health care," said Naik in his address to the fourth Conference of AYUSH/Health Ministers of States/UTs here.

The day-long conference was organised by the Ministry of AYUSH to provide an opportunity to States/UTs to interact with each other for the development of AYUSH sector. The conference was attended by AYUSH/Health Ministers, Secretaries and officials from 29 States/UTs along with senior officials of AYUSH Ministry and representatives of AYUSH organisations.

Naik said that States and Union Territories are important partners in the journey of Ministry of AYUSH for the promotion of traditional systems of medicine to all mankind. "Public health delivery system has been of highest priority. We look forward to an effective integration in the national progress related to health," he said.

Naik said that research councils under the Ministry of AYUSH are conducting a national programme for the prevention and control of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke (NPCDCS) in states. "The results are encouraging and would be scaled up," he said.

On this occasion, Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, said that AYUSH deserves equal recognition and patronage as is enjoyed by the modern system of medicine. He said that the holistic nature of AYUSH systems needs to be recognised nurtured and proliferated in the interest of the health of mankind.

Kumar emphasised the role of regulatory bodies is critical in maintaining the quality and standards of AYUSH systems. "We need to have a robust regulatory system for AYUSH drugs and education," he said, suggesting that Indian embassies can also play a role in spreading the message of AYUSH systems and converting it into a universal 'Jan Andolan.