**Executive Summary**
This document summarizes the response to Unstarred Question No. 1302 in Lok Sabha regarding the shortage of AYUSH doctors in Lakshadweep, to be answered on February 6, 2026. It clarifies the roles and responsibilities of the UT Government and the Ministry of AYUSH in providing and strengthening AYUSH healthcare services in the Union Territory. While the primary responsibility rests with the UT Government, the Ministry of AYUSH supports these efforts through the National AYUSH Mission (NAM).
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Primary Responsibility:**
* Ensuring adequate infrastructure, availability of AYUSH doctors and paramedical staff, and availability of medicines in AYUSH dispensaries in Lakshadweep falls under the purview of the UT Government due to Public Health being a State subject.
* **Current Status:**
* Lakshadweep has 7 Ayushman Arogya Mandir-Ayush centers, 1 Ayush dispensary at Kadmat, and a 20-bedded Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Ayush Hospital at Kavaratti functioning under NAM.
* AYUSH services are delivered by 18 AYUSH doctors (10 Ayurveda & 8 Homoeopathy), 1 Unani and 1 Siddha doctor, with paramedical staff under NHM and NAM.
* Medicines are procured as per Ministry of AYUSH guidelines.
* Kadmat Island has one Ayush Dispensary co-located with Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM), staffed with one Ayurveda and one Homoeopathy doctor under NHM, along with two masseurs and one Homoeopathy pharmacist under NAM.
* **Ministry of AYUSH Support:**
* The Ministry of AYUSH is implementing the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of NAM through State/UT Governments, including Lakshadweep.
* The Ministry supports the development and promotion of the AYUSH system by providing financial assistance for infrastructure, manpower, medicines, and public health programs.
* The UT Government can avail financial assistance by submitting suitable proposals through State Annual Action Plans (SAAPs) as per NAM guidelines.
**Impact Analysis**
**UT Government of Lakshadweep**
* **Impact:** The UT Government is primarily responsible for addressing the infrastructure, staffing, and medicine availability in AYUSH dispensaries.
* **Action Required:** The UT Government should continue to provide adequate healthcare and can submit SAAPs to the Ministry of AYUSH to request financial assistance for strengthening AYUSH services.
**Ministry of AYUSH**
* **Impact:** The Ministry plays a supportive role in strengthening AYUSH services in Lakshadweep through the NAM scheme.
* **Action Required:** Continue to implement NAM effectively, provide financial assistance based on UT Government proposals, and ensure guidelines are followed.
**AYUSH Doctors and Staff**
* **Impact:** The current and future status of AYUSH doctors and staff is impacted by the actions of both the UT Government and Ministry of AYUSH.
* **Action Required:** Continue to provide services and participate in programs, and potentially be affected by changes to infrastructure and staffing.
**Residents of Lakshadweep**
* **Impact:** The residents' access to AYUSH healthcare services and the quality of those services are directly impacted.
* **Action Required:** None specified.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of AYUSH: Primary ministry responsible for addressing the shortage of AYUSH doctors and infrastructure in Lakshadweep, and implementing relevant schemes.
Lakshadweep: Union Territory directly impacted by the shortage of AYUSH doctors and infrastructure, and the focus of the question raised in Lok Sabha.
National Ayush Mission (NAM): The centrally sponsored scheme implemented by the Ministry of AYUSH to support the development and promotion of AYUSH systems in Lakshadweep.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AYUSH
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1302
TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.02.2026
Shortage of AYUSH Doctors in Lakshadweep
1302. Shri Muhammed Hamdullah Sayeed:
Will the Minister of AYUSH be pleased to state:
a) whether the Government is aware of the inadequate infrastructure, shortage of AYUSH
doctors and paramedical staff and limited availability of medicines in AYUSH dispensaries in
the Union Territory of Lakshadweep;
(b) if so, the details of AYUSH dispensaries currently functioning in Lakshadweep, Island-
wise along with the sanctioned and filled posts of doctors and staff therein;
(c) whether the Government has any proposal to strengthen AYUSH healthcare services in
Lakshadweep by upgrading infrastructure, filling vacant posts, ensuring regular supply of
medicines and introducing telemedicine and speciality AYUSH services;
(d) if so, the details thereof along with the timelines fixed for implementation; and
(e) if not, the reasons therefor?
THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF AYUSH
(SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)
(a) & (b) As Public Health being a State subject, the primary responsibility to ensure adequate
infrastructure, availability of Ayush doctors and paramedical staff & availability medicines in
Ayush dispensaries in the union Territory of Lakshadweep comes under the purview of
respective UT Government. As reported by UT Government, 7 Ayushman Arogya Mandir-Ayush centers, 1 Ayush dispensary at Kadmat, and a 20-bedded Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Ayush
Hospital at Kavaratti is functioning under National Ayush Mission (NAM). Ayush services are
delivered by 18 Ayush doctors (10 Ayurveda & 8 Homoeopathy), 1 Unani and 1 Siddha doctor,
with paramedical staff under National Health Mission (NHM) and NAM in Lakshadweep,.
Medicines are procured as per Ministry of Ayush guidelines and supplied to the Ayush
facilities. Further, Kadmat Island has one Ayush Dispensary co-located with Ayushman
Arogya Mandir (AAM), staffed with one Ayurveda and one Homoeopathy doctor under NHM,
along with two masseurs and one Homoeopathy pharmacist under NAM.
(c) to (e) As public health is a State subject, the primary responsibility of strengthening of
Ayush healthcare services by upgrading infrastructure, filling vacant posts, ensuring regular
supply of medicines and introducing telemedicine, comes under the purview of the respective
UT Government. However, Ministry of Ayush is implementing the Centrally Sponsored
Scheme of NAM through State/UT Governments including Lakshadweep and supporting their
efforts for overall development & promotion of Ayush system by providing financial assistance
under different activities like strengthening of infrastructure, support of manpower, supply of
medicines, implementation of public health programmes etc. Accordingly, UT Government
may avail financial assistance by submitting suitable proposals through State Annual Action
Plans (SAAPs) as per the provisions of NAM guidelines.
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