Joseph Alexander, New Delhi
In order to assist the Ayush industry to catch up with the international demands on the quality front, the government is planning to give assistance to the manufacturing units for establishment of in-house quality control laboratories, among a slew of measures.
The proposal, right now under the consideration of the health ministry, is to seek the approval of the Planning Commission to increase the limit of assistance to Rs.1 crore per unit to the Ayush manufacturers for setting up in-house quality laboratories. Right now the assistance is nominal and no special scheme is in existence. As per the available information with the authorities, there are 7699 licensed manufacturers of ayurvedic medicines alone in the country, apart from those into other branches of traditional medicine and homoeopathy. Most of the units were finding tough to meet the quality standards of exports due to the high investments required.
Another proposal that is being pushed for approval is for setting up Ayush Jan Aushadhi retail outlets for promoting the availability and use of classical formulations in the rural areas. This will be on the similar lines of the existing generic stores for the allopathic medicines being run under the Department of Pharmaceuticals. The Department of Ayush has reportedly sought an assistance of Rs.100 crore in this regard.
Besides, the Department is also planning to hold a comprehensive survey on usage and acceptability of Ayush streams of treatment. National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) has been finalised to take up the survey on Ayush-based health seeking behaviour of people and extent of usage among communities, sources said. [Source]
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