Question : Various Systems of Medicines

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has formulated a policy to bring the various systems of medicines under the same roof to treat the patients and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government has any mechanism in place to review different methods of treatment to weed out unscientific and ineffective ones and if so, the details thereof; and

(c) whether this year’s allocation in the budget is sufficient to meet the expenditure of treatment and investments under various systems of medicines, if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI FAGGAN SINGH KULASTE)
(a)The National Health Policy 2017 envisages providing access and informed choice to the patients, providing an enabling environment for practice of different systems of medicine, an enabling regulatory framework and encouraging cross referrals across these systems. Further, National Policy on Indian Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy 2002 also envisages integration of AYUSH with the healthcare delivery system.
Furthermore, under National Health Mission (NHM), technical and financial support is provided to the States/UTs to strengthen their health systems and the principle of ‘Mainstreaming of AYUSH’ was adopted under NHM to enhance choice of services for beneficiaries of public health facilities and also to revitalize local health care traditions. Accordingly, NHM Implementation Framework envisages co-location of AYUSH services in health facilities.
Contd…….



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(b) Public Health and hospital being a State subject, provision of healthcare services for the people through scientific and effective methods lies under the jurisdiction of the respective State/UT Governments. However, the Directorate General of Health Services, Government of India has issued various Standard Treatment Guidelines for different conditions. These are available at URL http://clinicalestablishments.nic.in/En/1068-standard-treatment-guidelines.aspx.
Under the National Health Mission (NHM), financial and technical support is provided to States/UTs for strengthening their healthcare systems, including for mainstreaming of AYUSH, based on the requirements posed by the States/UTs in their Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs).
(c): The yearly allocations in the recent years have had an increasing trend. The increase in budgetary outlay would facilitate meeting more and more expenditure of treatment and investments under various systems of medicines.
During the current year, Rs.21,940.70 Cr has been allocated to the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare for the National Health Mission as per Budgetary Estimate of 2017-18. (Detail statement showing Budgetary Allocations is Annexed)
Further, Rs 1428.65 Cr has been allocated to the Ministry of AYUSH as per Budgetary Estimate for 2017-18 for promotion of different AYUSH systems of medicine.
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