Thursday, May 9, 2013

AYUSH under National Rural Health Mission

Mainstreaming of AYUSH under National Rural Health Mission The Department of AYUSH has takenseveral steps for mainstreaming of AYUSH under the National Rural Health Mission. The achievements during the last four years (2009-10 to 2012-13) are as follows: A. Mainstreaming of AYUSH under NRHM: (a) During 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 for mainstreaming of AYUSH under National Rural Health Mission, grants-in-aid amounting to Rs 553.00 crore was given to the State /UT Governments for establishment of new AYUSH facilities in 803 Additional Primary Health Centre/ Primary Health Centre, 113 Community Health Centres, 24 District Hospitals and for upgradation of 379 Exclusive AYUSH hospitals and 415 Dispensaries. During 2011-12, Department of AYUSH also supported for setting up of 6 units of 50 bedded Integrated AYUSH Hospitals at Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand and 5 Units of 10 bedded Integrated AYUSH hospitals at Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Sikkim. (b) A total number of 11478 AYUSH doctors and 4894 AYUSH para-medics have been appointed on contract basis at Primary Health Centres and Community Health Centres with the assistance from NRHM mission flexipool. B. Scheme for Development of AYUSH Institutions: During 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12, Government aided colleges were given grants-in-aid amounting to Rs.85.17 crores for upgrading their infrastructure and improving the quality of education under the Central Sponsored Scheme for Development of AYUSH institutions. C. Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani& Homeopathy Education: (1) Permission was granted to 8 new Ayurveda Medical Colleges. Additional 430 seats for Under Graduate (UG) course and 1030 seats for Post-Graduate (PG) permitted in the existing 100 Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani Medical Colleges during 2009-10 to 2012-13. (2) With an aim to improve the quality education in Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani systems of Medicine, a need was felt to amend the existing Regulations and also frame some new Regulations. After intensive and detailed discussion with all stakeholders, subject experts and officials of CCIM, amendments in existing Regulation and certain new Regulations were proposed in IMCC Act, 1970. (3) For the first time in last 42 years, the following regulations under the IMCC Act, 1970 have been notified in the Gazette of India: a) Indian Medicine Central Council (Post-Graduate Diploma Course in Ayurveda) Regulations 2010. b) The Indian Medicine Central Council (Minimum Standard Requirements of Ayurveda Colleges and attached Hospitals) Regulations, 2012. c) The Indian Medicine Central Council (Minimum Standard Requirements of Siddha Colleges and attached Hospitals) Regulations, 2013. d) The Indian Medicine Central Council (Minimum Standard Requirements of Unani Colleges and attached Hospitals) Regulations, 2013. (4) These Regulations will help in maintaining a uniform quality education in Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani Systems of Medicine across the country and two new regulations are presently under vetting of the Ministry of Law and Justice and likely to be published in the Gazette of India soon. (5) Under the CCH Act, 1973, regulation namely the “Central Council Homoeopathy (Minimum Standard Requirements of Homoeopathy Colleges and attached Hospitals) Regulations, 1983” has been amended and notified after a long period of 30 years. (6) Similarly, necessary amendments in nine Regulations related to UG/PG courses of ASU Systems under the IMCC Act, 1970 have been proposed and approved by Central Government, which are under vetting of the Ministry of Law and Justice. (7) Recently, a landmark Judgment has been passed on 06.03.2013 by three Judges Bench of Hon’ble Supreme Court of India headed by Hon’ble Chief Justice of India, regarding Education in Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani (ASU) systems of Medicine. This is a comprehensive judgment which meticulously settles important legal issues for the larger benefits of education in ASU systems of Medicine. It would turn out to be watershed judgment. Through the judgment not only the policy of the Central Government has been upheld but also it gives a message to all the colleges which are not maintaining the minimum standards of education and clinical facilities for training. D. Quality Control of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani& Homoeopathy Drugs: To strengthen quality control of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homeopathy (ASU&H) drugs, following steps were taken: (i) 13 State Drug Testing Laboratories, 11 State Pharmacies and 30 State Licensing Authorities were given financial support amounting to Rs.6.20 crore for improving drug testing facilities, production capacity and enforcement mechanism respectively; (ii) 14 private drug manufacturing units were given subsidy for strengthening in-house quality control laboratories as per GMP requirements; (iii) Pharmacopoiea Commission of Indian Medicine (PCIM) was set up in 2010 to oversee the development of quality standards of Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani drugs and to reinforce the functioning of Pharmacopoeia Committees; (iv) Voluntary quality certification scheme for AYUSH products was started in collaboration with Quality Council of India (QCI); (v) Regulatory reforms have been taken with regard to GMP guidelines for mineral and herbo-mineral formulations, expiry dates of ASU drugs, requirements for licensing of Patent or Proprietary ASU medicines, inspection of drug testing laboratories and amendment in labeling provisions; (i) Recognition of Sowa Rigpa system of medicine under AYUSH systems by amendment in IMCC Act 1970; (ii) During 2009-10 to 2012-13, the following monographs/formulations have been completed: Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia (AP) (a) API (Part-I) - Single Drugs: 126 (b) API (Part-II) - Compound Formulations: 153 (c) Ayurvedic Formulary of India (Bilingual): 351 (d) Supporting Pharmacopoeial Publications: 351 Unani Pharmacopoeia (a) Unani Pharmacopoeia of India (Part-I) : 48 (b) Unani Pharmacopoeia of India (Part-II): 101 (c) National Formulary of Unani Medicine: 137 Siddha Pharmacopoeia (a) Siddha Pharmacopoeia (Part-I): 132 (b) Siddha Pharmacopoeia (Part-II): 151 (c) Siddha Formulary of India (Part-I): 248 (d) Siddha Formulary of India (Part-II): 151 BN/HB (Release ID :95865)

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

appoint Drug Controller for Ayush

Decision to appoint Drug Controller for Ayush stuck with Dept of Expenditure Joseph Alexander, New Delhi Tuesday, May 07, 2013, 08:00 Hrs [IST] The proposal for creating the post of Central Drug Controller separately for Ayush is still stuck with the Department of Expenditure which has sought some more clarifications, it is learnt. The Ministry of Health has reportedly submitted `certain specific clarifications and justifications’ for the required posts sometime back, according to the sources in the Ayush department which feels that separate and exclusive drug controller would be helpful to improve the monitoring of the sector. The matter has been constantly pursued with the department. “Allocation of Rs.102 crore in 12th Plan and Rs.7.60 crore in the annual plan 2013-14 has been budgeted to undertake the establishment of infrastructure and manpower for the Central Ayush Drug Controller’s office. Proposal is also being moved for acquiring additional space to accommodate the Ayush Drug Controller’s office,” an official said. Meanwhile, the Ayush department contented that the lack of a separate controllers was affecting the overall functioning of the regulatory system. CDSCO has been basically dealing with quality control of allopathic drugs and accordingly, the whole paraphernalia there does not have the wherewithal to effectively regulate ASU&H drugs. The basic reason is that ASU&H drugs are distinct from allopathic drugs in terms of philosophy, principles, concepts, standards, quality aspects, applications, numbers and count of manufacturing units and testing requirements and they need to have different regulations. In-spite of common Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940, the regulatory issues of ASU&H drugs are not being taken care of by the Central Drugs Controller Office due to non-availability of requisite expertise and huge workload of matters related to allopathic drugs. The idea of having a common Central Drugs Authority with Additional Drug Controller of Ayush had not been earlier agreed to, sources said. The proposal was made way back in June 2010 to create Central Drug Controller for ASU drugs, along with drug control infrastructure at the Central and State levels by appointing separate drug controllers and drug inspectors. Though the bill came up to set up Central Drugs Authority with separate division for Ayush, it did not materialize.

Monday, May 6, 2013

insurance for ayush treatment

RDA notifies inclusion of ISM under health insurance policies Suja Nair Shirodkar, Mumbai Monday, May 06, 2013, 08:00 Hrs [IST] The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) has issued a notification informing the inclusion of the Indian System of Medicines in the mediclaim insurance policy. As per the notification, the insurance coverage to Ayush treatments has been facilitated through the regulation 5(1) of the IRDA (Health Insurance) Regulations, 2013. The new regulation, which was published in the official gazette and came into force with effect from February 18, 2013, states that the insurers may provide coverage to non-allopathic treatments provided the treatment is taken in a government hospital or in any institute recognised by government and or is accredited by Quality Council of India (QCI), National Accreditation Board on Health (NABH) or any other suitable institutions. According to Dr G S Lavekar, a senior consultant and former DG, CCRAS, department of Ayush, “Prior to the inclusion of Ayurveda, Homoeopathy etc. in the mediclaim insurance, there has been serious neglect of this sector by the medical and insurance companies in the country, discouraging the patients from opting treatment through traditional systems. Thus, this news comes as a huge boost to the morale of the industry which has been striving very hard since past many years to achieve the goal of covering all traditional system of medicines under the health insurance policies of the country.” Further, he added that, this result is an outcome of a joint effort taken by the industry, the Ministry of Health and Department of Ayush, especially by the then secretary of the department, S Jalja, since 2009 to recognise the traditional system of medicines under the mediclaim insurance. Though the industry is very happy with the recognition of the traditional treatment regimens like Ayurveda, Sidhha, Unani and Homoeopathy under the mediclaim cover for treatment options, they have expressed their apprehensions on the response and approach of the medical and insurance companies on the same. Prabodh Shah, president, Gujarat Ayurvedic Aushadh Manufacturers Association (GAAMA), pointed out, “This is a great news for us, especially since more and more patients now will be able to take the benefit of ayurvedic treatment, giving more credibility and recognition to our industry. But at the same time, we fear that the insurance company will take their own time in adopting this regulation creating problems for us.” Suggesting a plausible solution to this, he suggested that there should be an effective sensitisation drive on this notification among the industry members, patient groups and hospitals to let them know about their rights. Moreover, he wants the government, various ASU associations and the insurance companies across the country to come together to work in tandem to find a appropriate way to implement it effectively at the earliest for benefiting the patients at large. It is understood that at present insurance companies like National Insurance Company, Star Health and Allied Insurance, L&T General Insurance are offering insurance cover for Ayush.