Union AYUSH minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday announced that 1000 new Health & Wellness Centres (HWC) will be opened in the Northeast as part of the National Ayush Mission (NAM) Scheme.
Union AYUSH, Ports, Shipping & Waterways Minister Sonowal made the announcement during a conference of AYUSH and health ministers of Northeastern states for the promotion of Ayush systems.
In a major boost to the initiatives to promote traditional medicinal practices in the Northeast, Sonowal announced a slew of major initiatives planned to boost the traditional medicinal practices in the Northeast at the conference held in Guwahati on Saturday.
The conference was also graced by Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma as the chief guest.
Union Minister of State for AYUSH and Women & Child Development, Dr Munjpara Mahendrabhai Kalubhai, health ministers of Assam, Nagaland and Sikkim along with senior officials of northeastern states as well as industry leaders were present at this conference.
The aim of the proposed Health & Wellness Centres (HWCs) is to provide a holistic wellness model based on principles of Ayush systems of medicine.
A total of 12,500 HWCs are to be operationalised in the country, Sonowal said.
To boost the popularity of traditional medicines provided by Ayush, the minister announced the setting up of 100 Ayush dispensaries under NAM in the northeastern region.
While addressing the media, Union minister Sonowal announced that in order to boost the education and training of Ayush medicinal experts, financial provision of Rs 70 crore, under NAM support, is to be provided for the establishment of a new Ayurvedic College at Dudhnoi in Goalpara.
The Ministry of Ayush has decided to upgrade the Government Ayurvedic College in Guwahati and develop it as a Centre of Excellence.
A sum of Rs 10 crore as a financial grant is to be provided in this regard.
All states of the Northeast were requested to put up specific proposals to the ministry for opening up new Ayush educational institutions.
A facilitation Centre for Semi Processing of raw material is going to be opened up in NE.
Along with this, it is also envisaged to set up Regional Raw Drug Repository (RRDR) in NE states in collaboration with the National Institute of Bio-resources and sustainable development in Imphal, Manipur under the Department of Bio-Technology.
The Ayush medical facilities under the state governments in Northeast, central government and teaching hospitals in Ayush colleges will be brought under the AHMIS so as to develop digital data-base of Ayush interventions in various disease management.
The Ayush-Health Management Information System (AHMIS) is a comprehensive IT platform to effectively manage all function of health care delivery systems and patient care in Ayush facilities.
It is developed with an aim to improve patient care, work efficiency, effective management and scientific documentation and research of Ayush.