Parliamentary panel recommends integration of Indian Systems of Medicine with modern treatment

A parliamentary committee has recommended integration of Indian Systems of Medicine with the modern scientific advances to provide accessible, affordable and quality primary health care. It also asked the state governments to implement measures to enhance the capacity of existing health care professionals including practitioners of Indian Systems of Medicine to address state specific primary health care issues and challenges.

The Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare, in its 115th report submitted in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, said an earlier document had recognized the need to build capacity of existing human resource in the health care sector to address the shortage of healthcare professionals. However, noting the possible risk of non-qualified and untrained doctors

prescribing modern medicine and inducing irreparable damage to the patients, the committee reiterated that health care professionals practising without requisite qualification anywhere in the country may attract penal provision. The committee noted that there is an acute shortage of doctors and health workforce in the country, especially in rural, remote and tribal areas of the country.

Allopathy or the modern system of medicine has emerged as the most commonly used and the more popular system of medicine all around the world. With the advent of the scientific age and lifestyle changes, the burden of chronic, systemic and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) has been increasing.

According to the World Health Organization, non-communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases have been collectively responsible for 70 per cent of all deaths worldwide. "The committee is of the view that in the wake of this global health

crisis, the traditional Indian System of Medicine (ISM) which largely focuses on holistic view of health and well being can be utilized as an affordable means to tackle various illness including NCDs," it said. The committee stressed that there is an urgent need to promote and integrate Indian systems of medicine with the scientific modern advances to increase its acceptability as a scientific and reliable alternate system of medicine.

It strongly recommends adoption of science based approaches in the Indian System of Medicine for its seamless integration with the National Level health care delivery infrastructure. The committee also acknowledged constant efforts of the government to mainstream the Indian Systems of Medicine and integrate it in the health

delivery system. Given multitude of health issues that the country is facing, adoption of an inclusive and integrated health care policy has become more important, the committee highlighted while recommending for an interface of ISM with modern medicine as both systems have their own strengths in the treatment of various illnesses.

Modern medicine and Indian System of Medicine are two different streams of knowledge and there have been efforts on the part of the government to mainstream the AYUSH services in the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), it said. The committee also recognizes the services of AYUSH doctors in providing the first line of treatment especially in the rural areas.

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