The first AIIMS-like institution on Ayurveda will be inaugurated in Delhi within three months as part of steps to popularise the Indian system of medicine, Government today told the Rajya Sabha.
"Just like there is an AIIMS for allopathy, the first AIIMS for Ayurveda is going to start in Delhi. The building is ready. We will inaugurate it in next three months. The AYUSH is trying to have an AIIMs like Centre on Ayurveda in all state capitals," Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik said during Question Hour.
The All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) is coming up at Jasola in Delhi. A 200-bed hospital will also become functional.
Replying to a question about the Ayurveda clusters set up so far by the government, Naik said it has assisted 10 Ayurvedic Clusters in the country, which may prepare Unani and Siddha medicines also.
The government allocated Rs 16032 lakh to these centres and allocated Rs 6949.81 lakhs, the reply said.
Replying to another question regarding the present status of the implementation of the scheme for distributing free essential drugs and the total number of medicines provided under the scheme, the minister said all states have notified free drug policy.
"The National Free Drugs Initiative under the National Health Mission does not specify the number of drugs to be provided free of cost...While the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) includes 376 medicines, the number of drugs that states decide to provide free of cost varies.
"The decision to increase, decrease the number of essential medicines to be provided free of cost is to be taken by respective state/union territory governments," the minister said.
