Ayush ministry in public outreach drive

Vijayawada: The ministry of Ayush, which was formed in 2014, is aimed at reviving the ancient systems of medicine including Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Homeopathy and Sowa Rigpa, said Dr B Venkateswarlu, assistant director In-charge, Regional Ayurveda Research Institute (RARI) and principal of Dr N R S Ayurveda College Dr P Sai Sudhakar while addressing the media here on Monday.

Referring to the achievement of the ministry of Ayush during the last 100 days, the senior doctors said that the department has conducted 256 geriatric care camps and there were 12,421 senior citizens who got benefited. In addition, the department has conducted public health outreach programmes in 104 scheduled tribe habitations across Andhra Pradesh, and has initiated alcohol de-addiction centres in four AYUSH colleges to address substance abuse issues. During the recent Vijayawada flood, the Ayush department has distributed over one lakh Homoeopathic prevention kits to 65 flood-affected areas of Vijayawada and organised Ayurvedic medical camps in rehabilitation centre.

They informed the media that a 100-bed Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy Institute (CCRYN) is coming up in Kondapavuluru village in Krishna district.

Highlighting the important achievements and activities of CCRAS-RARI, Vijayawada, in 100 days, they said that outreach programmes like the Ayurveda Mobile Health Care Research Programme (AMHCP) and Tribal Health Care Research Project under the Tribal Sub-Plan are being successfully.

General health screening was conducted with special focus on selected disease conditions (Tuberculosis, Anaemia, Sickle Cell Disease and Malnutrition) and Ayurveda management of anaemia and malnutrition in students of Ekalavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) and in collaboration with ICMR awareness classes on Sickle Cell Anaemia and medical camps were conducted.

RARI, Vijayawada, has actively conducted programmes under Swacchata hi Seva, Poshan Pakhwada, Organ donation day, Blood donation day and others.

It has also provided technical support in 14 Geriatric care camps of the state Ayush department.