Question : Unani Medical Centre

Will the Minister of AYURVEDA, YOGA AND NATUROPATHY, UNANI, SIDDHA AND HOMOEOPATHY (AYUSH) be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has inaugurated Unani Medical centre recently, if so, the details thereof;

(b) the details of funds allocated/ expenditure incurred on purchase of Unani medicines from different manufacturers and suppliers for supply to various Unani Medical Centre;

(c) whether the Government has set any target to establish AYUSH health and wellness centres in the coming years along with the steps taken by the Government in this regard;

(d) if so, whether the Government has created awareness among people about the advantages of AYUSH systems of medicine, if so, the details thereof and if not, the steps taken in this direction;

(e) the measures being taken by the Government to promote e-governance and telemedicine to make Unani and other systems under AYUSH available at the grassroot level; and

(f) the steps being taken by the Government to popularize AYUSH system of medicine especially Unani System of medicine?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF AYURVEDA,
YOGA & NATUROPATHY, UNANI, SIDDHA AND HOMOEOPATHY
(SHRI SHRIPAD YESSO NAIK)
(a) No, however, Central Government has laid foundation stone on 1st March, 2019 to start the construction works at National Institute of Unani Medicine (NIUM) at Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.
(b) Under Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National AYUSH Mission (NAM), financial assistance of Rs. 411.90 Crore has been provided to States/UTs since 2014-15 to till date for supply of essential AYUSH drugs/ medicines including Unani medicines to AYUSH hospitals




and dispensaries. Since implementation of the scheme comes under the purview of State/ UT Government, expenditure incurred on purchase of Unani medicine and suppliers for supply to various Unani Medical Centre is not maintained by Central Government. As per expenditure reported by the States/UTs, Rs. 203.90 Crore has been utilized for purchase of essential drugs/ medicines including Unani.
(c) Yes, it is envisaged that AYUSH Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) are proposed to be established by upgradation of existing State Government AYUSH dispensaries and Sub Health Centres. A total 4200, 4200 and 4100 AYUSH HWCs are proposed to be established in year 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22 respectively.
Rs.150 Crore have been earmarked for establishment of the AYUSH Health and Wellness Centres during the year 2019-20 and Rs. 89.91 Crore have been released to the States till date under Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National AYUSH Mission (NAM).
(d) Central Government has taken various initiatives under the Information Education and Communication (IEC) Scheme created awareness among people about the advantages of AYUSH systems of medicine for treatment of common ailments through media and other publicity activities like organizing Arogya fairs, conferences, seminars on AYUSH System. Further, Ministry is also supporting different activities under NAM like AYUSH gram, Public Health outreach activities, information education and communication (IEC) activities, organization of Yoga, conducting peripheral OPD and Medical camps, behavioural change communication, training of village health workers towards identification and use of local medicinal herbs. Yoga is being promoted in various activities in Schools, work places, community as a whole to strengthen preventive and promotive Health.
(e) Ministry of AYUSH has initiated an Information Technology (IT) Project called “AYUSH GRID” to indent IT on a comprehensive scale into the AYUSH Sector. e-Governance and telemedicine also figure in AYUSH GRID. Further, the Ministry has signed an MoU with M/s Common Service Centre (CSC) for running a pilot project of Telemedicine in Siddha System on 25.10.2019. This project has been launched on 01.11.2019 for a period of 6 months. This pilot project is the first step in taking up telemedicine for all AYUSH Systems. Further, in order to promote the e-governance and telemedicine to make services in AYUSH systems available at the grass root level, training has been imparted by M/s CSC to Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLE’s) in 100 shortlisted centres of Tamil Nadu from where patients will avail Telemedicine facility in Siddha System.
(f) The National AYUSH Mission inter-alia makes provision for the following activities to popularize AYUSH systems of medicine including Unani:-
(i) Co-location of AYUSH facilities at Primary Health Centers (PHCs), Community Health Centers (CHCs) and Districts Hospitals (DHs).
(ii) Upgradation of exclusive State Government AYUSH Hospitals and Dispensaries.
(iii) Setting up of upto 50 bedded integrated AYUSH Hospital.
(iv) Upgradation of State Government Under-Graduate and Post-Graduate Educational Institutions.





(v) Setting up of new State Government AYUSH Educational Institutions in the States where it is not available in Government Sector.
(vi) Strengthening of State Government/State Government Co-operatives/Public Sector Undertakings Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy (ASU&H) Pharmacies
(vii) Strengthening of State Drug Testing Laboratories for ASU &H Drugs
(viii) Support for cultivation of Medicinal Plant including processing and post-harvest management