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Ludhiana: Ayurvedic healthcare sector struggles amid staff crunch
The department has seen no new recruitment since 2020, according to district ayurvedic officer Dr Raman Khanna
The ayurvedic health facilities in the district are suffering from a severe shortage of staff. While Tuesday is being observed as World Ayurveda Day to promote the ancient Indian medicine system as a holistic system for wellness and preventive healthcare, the ground reality is grim.
The district has 42 sanctioned posts for ayurvedic medical officers (AMOs), of which 12 are vacant at present. There are 23 AMO posts under the National Health Mission (NHM), and seven of those are also vacant.
There are 41 posts of ayurvedic pharmacists, of which 15 are vacant. Under the NHM, there are 23 posts of pharmacists, and 12 of those are also vacant.
There is one hospital in the district, which has five posts of staff nurses, and all of those are vacant.
One of the three posts of senior ayurvedic physicist is also vacant.
The department has seen no new recruitment since 2020, according to district ayurvedic officer Dr Raman Khanna.
“We have regularly written to higher authorities regarding the staff strength,” he said.
While there have been no new hirings in five years, the old employees keep retiring, which reduces the staff strength.
Ayurveda as a way to prevent lifestyle diseases
Senior ayurvedic doctor from the city, Dr Ravindra Vatsain, said that while allopathy has conquered many lifestyle diseases with immunisation, antibiotics, and surgery, lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension, anxiety and depression have become a problem for public health today.
Ayurveda, he proposed, can provide a proper regimen of lifestyle changes that can prevent these diseases in the first place.
“Lifestyle disorders are a major concern today. And some of them are also risk factors for serious health problems down the road. Ayurveda, with its age-old dietary regimens, can help people keep these problems at bay and live healthy lives.
He also said that in this way, Ayurveda plays a complementary role to allopathy and provides a holistic approach to health.
“The idea of public health has now expanded beyond treatment and is now also focusing on prevention and wellness. Ayurveda is of great help here,” he said.
Ayurveda Day was earlier observed on different days, but this is the first time that it has been fixed for September 23. “Earlier, it was observed on other dates, including Dhanteras. But by fixing September 23, which is an equinox with equal day and night, the stress is balanced in life, as advocated by Ayurveda.
