Parliament Question: Ayurvedic Doctors in PHCs

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AYUSH LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2149 TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.08.2025 Ayurvedic Doctors in PHCs

2149. Dr. Mohammad Jawed:

Will the Minister of AYUSH be pleased to state:

(a) the total number of sanctioned posts for Ayurvedic doctors at Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in the country State/UT-wise and district-wise, particularly in the State of Bihar;

(b) the current strength of Ayurvedic doctors serving in various healthcare facilities across the country, State/UT-wise;

(c) whether the demand for Ayurvedic treatment has increased in the country during the last five years and if so, the details thereof; and

(d) the initiatives/measures being undertaken by the Government to promote and popularise Ayurvedic treatment among the general public? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF AYUSH (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)

(a) & (b) Public Health being a State subject, the primary responsibility for sanctioning of posts of Ayurvedic doctors in all categories comes under the purview of respective State/UT Governments and accordingly, no such data is maintained by Central Government.

Further, Government of India has adopted a strategy of Co-location of Ayush facilities at Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs) and District Hospitals

(DHs), thus enabling the choice to the patients for different systems of medicines under a single window. The engagement of contractual Ayush doctors/ paramedics and their training is being supported by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare under National Health Mission (NHM), while the support for Ayush infrastructure, equipment/ furniture and medicines is being provided by the Ministry of Ayush under National Ayush Mission (NAM), as shared responsibilities. The State/UT-wise status of co-located Ayush facilities at PHCs, is furnished at Annexure.

Under Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), 119 Ayurveda Medical Officers are posted against 121 sanctioned posts.

(c) & (d) Yes. Ministry of Ayush is implementing Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National Ayush Mission (NAM) since 2014-15 through State/UT Governments for development, promotion and popularise Ayush systems including Ayurveda to create awareness among people about the strength of Ayush system of medicines for the treatment of common ailments. Under NAM, Ministry supports the efforts of State/UT Governments by providing financial assistance 1to them under different activities as per the provision of NAM guidelines against their submitted State Annual Action Plans (SAAPs). After implementation of NAM Scheme, the scale of achievement for development of Ayush system of medicine including Ayurveda in the State/UT has increased significantly. Accordingly, budget allocation of NAM enhanced gradually during last five years from Rs. 705.00 Crore (in 2020-21) to Rs.1200.00 Crore (in 2024-25) for different activities of NAM Scheme. The Mission inter-alia makes provision for the following activities: -

(i) Operationalization of Ayushman Arogya Mandir (Ayush) by upgrading existing Ayush Dispensaries and Sub Health Centers.

(ii) Co-location of Ayush facilities at Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs) and District Hospitals (DHs).

(iii) Upgradation of existing standalone Government Ayush Hospitals.

(iv)Upgradation of existing Government/Panchayat/Government aided Ayush Dispensaries/Construction of building for existing Ayush Dispensary (Rented/ dilapidated accommodation)/ Construction of building to establish new Ayush Dispensary in the area where there are no Ayush facilities available.

(v) Setting up of 50/30/10 bedded integrated Ayush Hospitals.

(vi) Supply of essential drugs to Government Ayush Hospitals, Government Dispensaries and Government/Government aided Teaching Institutional Ayush Hospitals.

(vii) Ayush Public Health Programmes.

(viii) Behaviour Change Communication (BCC).

(ix) Establishment of new Ayush colleges in the States where availability of Ayush teaching institutions is inadequate in Government Sector.

(x) Infrastructural development of Ayush Under-Graduate Institutions and Ayush Post-Graduate Institutions/ add on PG/ Pharmacy /Para-Medical Courses.

Further, the Ministry of Ayush also implements a Central Sector Scheme for Promotion of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) in Ayush to create awareness regarding Ayush Systems of Medicine. This scheme aims to reach out to all sections of the population across the country and under this Scheme, Ministry organizes National/State level Arogya Fairs, Yoga Fests/Utsavs, Ayurveda Parvs, Celebrate Important Days of Ayush Systems including Ayurveda day, Participate in Health Fairs/ Melas & Exhibitions, Provide financial assistance for organizing seminars, workshops, conferences and conduct multimedia campaigns etc.

***** 2Annexure The State/UT-wise status of co-located Ayush facilities at PHCs Sl. No. Name of the State/UT PHC 1 Bihar 0 2 Chhattisgarh 454 3 Himachal Pradesh 0 4 Jammu & Kashmir 373 5 Jharkhand 97 6 Madhya Pradesh 275 7 Odisha 886 8 Rajasthan 144 9 Uttar Pradesh 627 10 Uttarakhand 44 11 Arunachal Pradesh 50 12 Assam 71 13 Manipur 78 14 Meghalaya 54 15 Mizoram 10 16 Nagaland 9 17 Sikkim 4 18 Tripura 84 19 Andhra Pradesh 273 20 Goa 22 21 Gujarat 868 22 Haryana 106 23 Karnataka 366 24 Kerala 0 25 Maharashtra 20 26 Punjab 88 27 Tamil Nadu 475 28 Telangana 352 29 West Bengal 387 30 Andaman & Nicobar Islands 20 31 Chandigarh 28 32 Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu 9 33 Delhi 0 34 Ladakh 32 35 Lakshadweep 4 36 Puducherry 39 Total 6349

Source: as per NHM-MIS database as on 31.12.2024 3