The Ministry of 'AYUSH' is the acronym of medical systems that are being practiced in India: Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy.Its purposes are to:
- develop education
- research and propagation of indigenous medicinal systems in India.
Since the ministry is diversified into different medicinal systems, there are many different professional institutes, faculties, etc. devoted to the development of various healthcare systems in India.
This ministry is headed by the Minister of State who is the independent in-charge, currently run by Shripad Yesso Naik.
The Department of Indian Medicine and Homeopathy (ISM & H) was created in the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. In 2003, this Department was re named as Department of AYUSH.
- It aims particularly at the rural population of India and providing best healthcare services to them.
- It also lays strong emphasis on tackling the drug abuse problem through YOGA.
- Also, it provides a backbone to the AYUSHMAN Bharat Yojana
- A large part of the population prefers AYUSH as it is perceived to have lower side effects, costs and considerations of it being more natural.
Criticisms:
- Most of the people have a belief that Homeopathy in AYUSH has no ethical background of efficacy and reality. Similarly Naturopathy is also considered to be pseudo-scientific, ineffective and harmful in its practice.
- Also,. the research for clinical trails done by the ministry have also been criticized, as they were rejected at various foreign institutes.
Challenges:
- The ministry has to face many challenges regarding its credibility and other things, esp. homeopathy.
- There has been a problem during the past years in reaching out to the majority of population so it has to up with that also.
- There is an urgent need for a trained people to provide accessible primary-care services that cover minor ailments, health promotion services,risk screening for early disease detection and appropriate referral linkages.
- Also it must ensure that people receive urgent healthcare facility at the nearest community center when they need it.
