Year Ender 2020: 44% surge in medicines, Yogasana a competitive sport…How AYUSH Ministry helped fight off Covid-19

New Delhi: Year 2020 proved to be a difficult year for everyone across the globe as the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in an unprecedented global health crisis. Whole world including the Western economies struggled hard to fight off this deadly disease, still more than 17 lakh people have lost lives till date.

In India, the AYUSH Ministry played critical role in tackling the Covid-19 outbreak, strengthening people’s immune system and also assisting in swift recovery.

During the pandemic, a large chunk of population turned to Ayurveda and followed Ayush guidelines to keep themselves safe.

In fact, the medicines under AYUSH Ministry showed 500-600% growth, with the industry size growing by almost 44% during the pandemic.

More than 86% people surveyed said that they used AYUSH guidelines and medicines during the pandemic for self-care. Since, strong immunity is considered to be antidote to Coronavirus, Ayush medicines record big growth in sales. Around 1.47 crore people were surveyed online by the ministry out of which 15,000 were infected by the virus.

Various initiatives were taken by AYUSH Ministry to integrate the modern and traditional systems so as to facilitate a meaningful, cross learning and collaboration between two systems.

One important achievement was recognition of Yogasana as competitive sport. Under Yogasana, more and more people will be encouraged to take up yoga to help improve their mental and physical health. Since, it will now get funding by government, the move to spread Yoga will further get emboldened.

“As YOGA is India’s gift to the world, YOGASANA is gift to Sports World,” tweeted Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju.

Hon’ble PM Shri @NarendraModi Ji’s vision to popularise Yoga and to make Yogasana as sport is fulfilled today. Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has officially recognized Yogasana as a competitive sport. As YOGA is India’s gift to the world, YOGASANA is gift to Sports World. pic.twitter.com/mmeW101hLu

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) December 17, 2020

AYUSH Ministry initiatives against Covid-19

Ministry of AYUSH has issued an Advisory about self-care guidelines and preventive health measures for immunity. It also launched a three-month campaign on “AYUSH for Immunity” and a Telemedicine Practice Guideline.

Research studies in COVID 19

Total 104 studies comprising prophylactic, add-on, and stand-alone, observational and pre-clinical/experimental studies are undergoing in around 135 centres in the country. Interim trends have shown promising outcomes in mitigation of COVID 19 and the AYUSH interventions have been well tolerated and no Serious Adverse Event or significant Adverse Drug Reaction reported.

The Ministry also did an assessment of effectiveness, acceptance and usage of AYUSH advisories & measures in the prevention of COVID-19 through AYUSH Sanjivani Mobile app in 1.47 crores population. 85.1% respondents have reported that they have used some of the AYUSH remedy as prophylaxis/ treatment of COVID 19.

Establishment of Institute of National Importance (INI)

The Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda Act, 2020 enacted on 22nd September, 2020 conferred the status of INI to the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA) at Jamnagar by conglomerating 4 institutes at Gujarat Ayurved University, campus Jamnagar.

Setting up of WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in India

Director General of World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus gave a video message on the occasion of celebration of 5th Ayurveda Day on 13th November 2020 and praised the Prime Minister’s commitment to the universal coverage under Ayushman Bharat and evidence-based promotion of traditional medicines to achieve health related objectives. He announced the setting up of the Global Centre of Traditional Medicine in India. The Prime Minister thanked WHO and the DG for choosing India for the Global Centre of Traditional Medicine.

MoU b/w AYUSH Ministry and Ministry of Women & Child Development

The two Ministries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for controlling Malnutrition as a part of POSHAN Abhiyaan. The MoU will see some time-tested and scientifically proven Ayush-based solutions being adopted for controlling malnutrition in the country.
Inclusion of Sowa-Rigpa into AYUSH systems:

The Government has suitably amended the Allocation of Business Rules and inter-alia included the business of formulation of policy for development and propagation of Sowa-Rigpa under the ambit of Ministry of AYUSH.

Setting up of National Research Institute of Sowa-Rigpa

The National Research Institute of Sowa-Rigpa was upgraded to “National Institute of Sowa Rigpa” in Leh, UT of Ladakh with the approval of Cabinet on 20th November, 2019.

Setting up of Central AYUSH Drugs Control Framework:

In order to control quality of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani& Homoeopathy (ASU&H) Drugs, a new initiative has been taken by forming an independent vertical structure in Central Drugs Standard Control Organization with creation of 9 regulatory posts. It will enhance the enforcement mechanism of the provisions of Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 and Rules made there under thus assuring availability of quality drugs to public.

Yogasana as a competitive Sport

Ministry of AYUSH has been taking numerous steps for promoting and getting Yogasana recognized as a sport at the global level. An international symposium on “Promotion of Yogasana as a competitive sport” was organised on 16.11.2019 at Mysure. Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, has recognised NYSF as a Federation for Yogasana as a Competitive Sport. Efforts are on to bring different foreign federations under the umbrella of IYSF and state federations under NYSF.

Setting up of 4 Satellite Centres of National Institutes of AYUSH

In view of 2017 National Health Policy, Ministry of AYUSH initiated the process to augment AYUSH educational facilities in India. The process to establish the Satellite Centres of existing National Institutes in the field of Ayurveda, Homoeopathy and Unani was initiated in 2017. Further, following the direction received from Ministry of Finance, a proposal after seeking approval of the EFC is under submission to seek approval of the Cabinet. The total estimated cost of the four satellite centre including recurring expenditure of Salary and Grants-in-Aid General is Rs.1782.45 crore.

Pradhan Mantri VRIKSHAYUSH YOJANA

Pradhan Mantri VRIKSHAYUSH YOJANA was announced by Finance Minister on 15th May, 2020 for the cultivation and post-harvest management of medicinal plants with the budget of Rs.4000 crore covering 10 lac hectares. This will also cover cultivation of medicinal plants in an area of 800 acres along the banks of river Ganga. The EFC Note was approved by Department of Expenditure in its meeting held on 22nd July, 2020. The Draft Cabinet Note has been forwarded to Cabinet Secretariat and PMO on 28th August, 2020 for approval of the Cabinet.

AYUSH Grid

In pursuance to the National Health Policy 2017 and e-governance initiative of Government of India, Ministry of AYUSH is in process of creating an IT backbone in the form of AYUSH GRID for the entire AYUSH Sector. Digitization of entire AYUSH Sector will lead to transformation of AYUSH Sector in fields of health care delivery at all levels, research, education, various health programmes, drug regulations, etc. Currently, Ministry has developed around 15 pilot IT initiatives and in process of drafting DPR of the AYUSH GRID project. It is envisaged that within 2 years entire AYUSH sector will go digital.

Ministry of AYUSH developing ISO in collaboration with BIS

For Ayurveda, four Indian standards (IS) have been developed and two standards are accepted in program of work (PoW) of ISO. Work on nearly 25 standards including Yoga accessories and Panchakarma equipment are in pipeline. These standards incorporate all essential tenets of existing standards with inclusion of certain features for international compliance and their global acceptance. Development of such IS/ISO standards is poised to augment the domestic as well as cross-border trade of AYUSH products and services