Ayush University in the Pipeline in Kerala

KOCHI: The health policy which stresses the need for strengthening alternative medicine has mooted the formation of a separate university for streams other than modern medicine. There are also suggestions for vitalizing the institutions under Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (Ayush) by improving the standards and facilities of the institutions belonging to these streams.
The Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) which has medical institutions belonging to the all systems of medicine under its control is has a huge burden on its shoulders.
Bringing all systems under the same university has in no way helped the academic development of the different systems of medicine, says the health policy. Since Ayush is already a full-fledged department the state government proposes to set up an Ayush university by bifurcating the KUHS, which can continue to be the University for Modern Medicine.
A centre for integrated medicine will be established in one of the universities for the academic interaction between various systems of medicine, states the health policy.
“The Union government provides a lot of funds through the Ayush department. Once a separate university is set up, more funds can be availed from the Centre as well the state Ayush department for varied activities including research and infrastructure development. So, it is a welcome move,” said Dr N K Sanil Kumar of Justice Krishna Iyer Movement.
The policy states that existing government ayurveda dispensaries will be renamed and revitalized as ayurvedic primary health centres. All ayurvedic district hospitals will be strengthened and at least one ayurvedic hospital will be established in every taluk.