U.P. plans All India Institute of Ayurveda

The project is likely to come up in eastern Uttar Pradesh and Varanasi is a probable district. A final decision will be taken by the state government.

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh has planned to establish an All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) that would be a centre of excellence for Ayurveda tertiary health care and promote education, research and patient care.

AIIA is similar to AIIMS or All India Institute of Medical Sciences. An AIIA provides postgraduate/doctoral and post-doctoral teaching, research facilities and quality patient care under the Ayurveda system of medicine. (Pic for representation)

“A proposal for AIIA has been sent to the state government. Once approved, the process will start with identification of land to establish the AIIA,” said Dr PC Saxena, director, Ayurveda. This will be the first AIIA in Uttar Pradesh.

AIIA is similar to AIIMS or All India Institute of Medical Sciences. An AIIA provides postgraduate/doctoral and post-doctoral teaching, research facilities and quality patient care under the Ayurveda system of medicine.

“We need around 15 acres of land to establish the AIIA. Once the state government approves the project and land is identified, the process of planning the infrastructure and facilities will begin,” said Dr Saxena.

The project is likely to come up in eastern Uttar Pradesh and Varanasi is a probable district. A final decision will be taken by the state government.

“One crucial area in AIIA is national and international collaboration. As AIIA is an apex institute in Ayurveda and it can collaborate with other branches of medicine for research and patient care,” said Dr Abhishek Shukla, secretary general, Association of International Doctors. Uttar Pradesh presently has over 100 Ayurveda colleges, including 65 in the private sector and an AYUSH University in Gorakhpur.