Buoyed by response, ‘Nisarg Gram’ to become fully operational soon

‘Nisarg Gram’ is the first government-run naturopathy hospital in the country and it has already drawn visitors from across the globe

After receiving a positive response from patients in India and abroad, the National Institute of Naturopathy (NIN) has decided to make its state-of-the-art naturopathy facility, ‘Nisarg Gram’ at Yewalewadi, fully operational within a couple of months, said officials.

Patients from countries such as South Africa, Uganda, the United States, and Australia have visited the centre to seek natural and holistic healing therapies, officials said (HT)

K Satya Lakshmi, director, NIN, said, “In response to the growing demand, NIN has begun the process of recruiting over 150 new staff members, including professors, doctors and therapists, among others. Currently there are 100 functional beds, and within a couple of months, the number will be expanded to 250 beds. Appointments for most of the posts and approvals have already been completed.”

A senior official from NIN said, “The response from the public has been very encouraging. People are showing great interest in natural healing practices, and this shows that there is a need for such a facility. We are working hard to make the entire ‘Nisarg Gram’ campus fully functional as soon as possible.”

‘Nisarg Gram’ is the first government-run naturopathy hospital in the country and it has already drawn visitors from across the globe. It also has undergraduate, postgraduate, paramedical, Ph.D. and fellowship certificate courses in yoga and naturopathy. Patients from countries such as South Africa, Uganda, the United States, and Australia have visited the centre to seek natural and holistic healing therapies, officials said.

‘Nisarg Gram’ is spread across 25 acres and outpatient department (OPD) facilities were started in September 2024 and inpatient department (IPD) services in November 2024. Currently, there is a team of around 60 people including doctors, professors, assistant professors, therapists and trainee therapists at ‘Nisarg Gram’. The OPD which initially saw a monthly footfall of around 300 patients, has now reached over 1,900 patients per month. Similarly, the IPD which started with just six patients a month has reached around 80 to 100 patients per month. Although the number may look less, the minimum stay of the patients is seven to eight days depending on the packages. Once the indoor facility is made fully operational, the facility will require advance booking, officials said.

The facility combines traditional naturopathy treatments with modern amenities, offering therapies for a variety of lifestyle and chronic health conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, obesity, stress and digestive disorders. Besides the treatment services, ‘Nisarg Gram’ also focuses on providing health education, yoga, diet therapy, and wellness programmes to promote preventive healthcare.

K Satya Lakshmi further said, “We are going slow because there should not be any inconvenience to the patients. There are two morning and evening yoga sessions conducted at the centre, which have received tremendous response. Once it is fully operational, the awareness activities will be conducted to make people aware about naturopathy therapies and treatments.”