NEW DELHI: India is pushing for recognition of Ayurveda in developed countries, buoyed by Switzerland’s nod to put the ancient medicine system under health insurance cover.
“Switzerland has enacted legislation to enable Ayurveda therapy’s use in their healthcare system, and admissible for reimbursement by complimentary insurances, which is encouraging for us,” said Ajith M Sharan, secretary at the Ayush ministry.
India exports close to Rs 2,000 crore of Ayurvedic products such astulsi, ashwagandha and neem as food supplements because they do not meet the trial standards of pharmaceutical drugs. “It is a regulatory issue as it is easier to get the products registered as nutraceuticals or food supplements rather than as medicines. And each product needs to be registered separately, which is not easy,” Sharan said.
Private companies are selling Ayurvedic products abroad and the Ayush ministry is working to ensure these items are acknowledged as medicine .“But it will be a long-drawn process,” Sharan said.
In its bid to globalise Ayush, the ministry has signed memorandums of understanding in the field of traditional supplementary medicine with 10 countries, including China, Trinidad and Tobago, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mongolia and Hungary.
In a first, the Ayush ministry will organise a two-day BRICS wellness workshop in Bengaluru to exchange expertise in traditional medicine.
{{/usCountry}}In a first, the Ayush ministry will organise a two-day BRICS wellness workshop in Bengaluru to exchange expertise in traditional medicine.
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