AYUSH Upgrades Unani Hub at JJ Hospital, Pushes Evidence Drive

The inauguration signals a renewed push to embed traditional systems within mainstream healthcare infrastructure through evidence-backed, integrative models of care.

Mumbai — Marking the 10th Unani Day, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ayush and Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav, on Saturday inaugurated the renovated Co-location Centre of the Regional Research Institute of Unani Medicine (RRIUM), Mumbai, at the historic Sir J.J. Hospital campus. He also presided over the National Conference on “Innovation and Evidence in Unani Practice,” a two-day event organised by the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM), Ministry of Ayush.

The inauguration signals a renewed push to embed traditional systems within mainstream healthcare infrastructure through evidence-backed, integrative models of care.

₹3.84-Crore Upgrade to Strengthen Integrative Care

Originally established in 1984, the RRIUM Co-location Centre has been modernised at a cost of nearly ₹3.84 crore. The upgraded facility is designed to enhance clinical services, expand research capabilities and improve patient care within an integrative hospital setting.

Located within the J.J. Hospital campus — one of Maharashtra’s premier public medical institutions — the centre is expected to facilitate structured collaboration between Unani practitioners and modern medicine specialists. The co-location model aims to generate clinical data, promote interdisciplinary referrals and strengthen translational research in chronic disease management, preventive healthcare and lifestyle disorders.

Calling the upgrade a reflection of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision, Shri Prataprao Jadhav said the initiative positions traditional systems as an essential pillar of a modern, patient-centric healthcare framework.

“By bringing Unani and conventional medicine together under one roof, the renovated centre will offer patients safe, effective and holistic care supported by scientific research and evidence,” he said.

Innovation and Evidence to Define the Next Phase

Addressing researchers and practitioners, Shri Jadhav underscored that Unani medicine’s future depends on its ability to generate high-quality scientific evidence.

“Unani medicine is rooted in rich clinical experience, but its future lies in how effectively we generate and present scientific evidence to the world,” he said.

He urged institutions such as CCRUM and RRIUM Mumbai to prioritise:

• Rigorous clinical trials

• Drug standardisation and quality assurance

• Translational and outcome-based studies

• Use of genomics, artificial intelligence and advanced diagnostics

Referring to the conference theme, he noted that “innovation and evidence are the two pillars that will shape the next era of Unani medicine,” adding that protocols and formulations must align with global benchmarks of quality and safety.

Maharashtra Showcases Integrative Healthcare Model

Shri Babasaheb Patil, Minister of Co-operation, Government of Maharashtra, described the renovated Unani co-location facility as a major step toward affordable and people-centric healthcare delivery.

Recalling his own positive experience with Unani treatment, he highlighted its role in managing chronic and difficult-to-treat conditions, particularly for economically weaker sections. He reaffirmed Maharashtra’s commitment to strengthening infrastructure, expanding colleges and hospitals, and widening access to Indian systems of medicine in both urban and rural areas.

“Health is true wealth. Preventive and holistic approaches promoted by Ayush systems can reduce the burden on hospitals and improve quality of life,” he said.

Unani’s Growth Over the Past Decade

Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, said the 10th Unani Day reflects the system’s “extraordinary growth” over the last decade in research output, patient services and institutional capacity.

He noted that focused policy support and enhanced budgetary allocations have enabled CCRUM institutions and National Institutes to expand services significantly, with marked increases in patient footfalls, peer-reviewed publications and accredited facilities.

Highlighting global outreach, he said the Ministry of Ayush is working closely with the World Health Organization (WHO) and international partners to establish benchmarks in Unani education, clinical training and therapeutic practice. Key milestones include:

• Publication of WHO benchmark documents for Unani training and practice

• Inclusion of Unani morbidity codes in the ICD-11 Traditional Medicine Chapter

• Ongoing work on classification of health interventions

These measures, he said, will facilitate global adoption and standardisation of Unani medicine.

Regulatory and Academic Strengthening

Dr. Maneesha V. Kothekar, Chairperson, National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM), described Unani — alongside Ayurveda, Siddha and Sowa-Rigpa — as embodying India’s “unity in diversity” in medical knowledge systems.

She commended CCRUM and RRIUM for expanding infrastructure, education, manufacturing and research while remaining rooted in classical principles.

Institutional Milestones and Global Partnerships

The inaugural session also witnessed a series of key institutional launches and collaborations, including:

• Release of CCRUM publications and conference souvenir

• Launch of CCRUM’s collaborative web portal and mobile applications

• Exchange of one international and eight national Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs)

• Presentation of a questionnaire for assessment of Mizaj-e-Insan (human temperament)

• NABL certification for the Biochemistry and Pathology Laboratory of RRIUM, Mumbai

The NABL accreditation is expected to strengthen laboratory quality standards and enhance credibility of research outputs emerging from the institute.

The inaugural session was attended by Ms. Monalisa Dash, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Ayush; Dr. M.A. Qasmi, Advisor (Unani); Prof. Saiyad Shah Alam, Director, National Institute of Unani Medicine; and Dr. N. Zaheer Ahmed, Director General, CCRUM, among other dignitaries.

Positioning Unani in Mainstream Public Health

With the co-location model at J.J. Hospital, the Ministry of Ayush is advancing a scalable framework for integrative healthcare that blends traditional knowledge with modern diagnostics and research methodologies. The initiative is expected to serve as a replicable model for other government hospitals across the country.

As India expands its Ayush footprint domestically and internationally, the emphasis on innovation, standardisation and global benchmarks is likely to shape the next phase of Unani medicine’s evolution.