Dept of Ayush proposes DCGI post exclusively for Indian medicines

Dept of Ayush proposes DCGI post exclusively for Indian medicines






Joseph Alexander, New Delhi
Wednesday, November 30, 2011, 08:00 Hrs [IST]


With the Indian system of medicines including Ayurveda getting increased attention from world around, the Department of Ayush is pushing the idea of setting up a Central Drug Controller for Ayush drugs separately for ensuring quality of drugs in the sector.

The Department has already forwarded the proposal in this regard to the Planning Commission for consideration and inclusion in the final Plan for the 12th Five Year Plan period with an estimated allocation of Rs.166 crore, sources said.

“The Expenditure Finance Committee at its meeting held in April, 2010 under the chairmanship of Secretary (Expenditure) had agreed to create infrastructure of Central Drug Controller for Ayush drugs. Allocation of Rs.166.00 crore has been projected for this purpose in the 12th Plan. Under the Central Drug Controller for Ayush Drugs, 40 posts including 25 regular and 15 contractual/outsourced posts will be created and in addition salaries of scientific manpower in 30 state-run Drug Testing Laboratories will be borne during 12th Plan period. This provision will be made under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Drugs Quality Control under the head - Promotion of Ayush,’’ sources said.

Presently the demand for traditional Indian medicine -- Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and other herbal products -- has increased tremendously in India and abroad. The world herbal market is estimated to be $62 billion out of which the share of China is $19 billion and that of India is only $1 billion. There are around 10000 ASU drugs manufacturing units in the country at present, according to the note by the Department.

“To facilitate the increased acceptability of ASU (Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani) medicines within the country and abroad, the core issue is the quality and standardization of ASU products and effective enforcement of the provisions of the Drugs & Cosmetic Act. It is recommended by the Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani Drugs Consultative Committee (ASUDCC) chaired by DCGI that a separate Central Drug Controller for ASU drugs may be created,’’ sources said.

Taking into consideration the importance of the sector, the planned Central Drug Authority of India (CDAI) had proposed the induction of an additional drug controller general for Indian systems of medicines. At present, the post for the Additional DCGI for Indian medicines has been lapsed. This post would be revived to assist the DCGI for quality control and regulations of Indian systems of medicines and homoeopathic products, according to the proposal.

The CDAI also proposed to have five assistant drug controllers to govern the ASU sector, and one each would be posted in five zonal offices of Chandigarh, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata to assist the Deputy Drug Controllers. However, with the lapse of the very proposal to set up CDAI, the plans to strengthen the regulatory mechanism for ASU drugs also lapsed.

Ayurvedic medicine to combat disease in T&T

 Ayurvedic medicine to combat disease in T&T

Published: Mon, 2011-11-07 00:03
Paras Ramoutar

Ayurvedic medicine could help in combating diseases in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean. This can be facilitated through the establishment of a centre for Ayurvedic medicine in collaboration with the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT). Minister of Foreign Affairs and Communications, Dr Surujattan Rambachan told the opening session of the Ayurvedic Seminar and Workshops at the Divali Nagar he hoped the sessions will bring “enlightenment on the value and benefits which can be derived from Ayurvedic medicine, as well as, the role of traditional healing in combating diseases in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean.”

Dr Rambachan said he welcomed the opportunity for dialogue and partnerships with all stakeholders, local and international, to create sustainable avenues for growth. “We hope that the discussions taking place will lead to greater collaboration and the exchange of ideas and views will set the foundation for a mutual beneficial relationship between the Ayurvedic institutions of India and our local practitioners and institutions,” he said. Rambachan and his colleagues, Minister of Health Dr Fuad Khan and Minister of Tourism Dr Rupert Griffith met with members of a delegation led by Shri Anil Kumar, Secretary of the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Department of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Siddha and Homoeopathy) and the Indian High Commissioner, Shri Malay Mishra

Traditional system of family physicians could be revived by 2050:

Traditional system of family physicians could be revived by 2050: Prof P M Bhargava

The age-old tradition of having a family physician, a concept which has no takers in the current times of super-specialists, may be once again revived by the year 2050.

“Also, plant-based drugs which are common in all the five traditional alternative medicine: AYUSH, will be used for making drugs in future,” said renowned scientist and recipient of Padma Bhushan, Prof P M Bhargava here on Thursday.

Emphasising that specialty in the medical care is proving a threat to the patients as in most of the cases the patient needs general treatment; he predicted that by 2050 the government sector hospitals and all rare and tertiary care cases will be taken care of by private sector hospitals. He also said, “Unlike today, most of the tests would be done at home using portable kits and people would no longer need to go through the cumbersome process of waiting for test reports.”

He also insisted that institutes like PGIMER should start MD in Family Medicine which is presently offered only by the University of SCIENCES, Kolkata, to revive the tradition of a general physician.

He was sharing his vision as part of the 3 RD Professor R N Chakravati Memorial Oration Lecture, titled : The likely Scenario of medical and Health care in 2050 at PGI.

Prof Bhargava elaborated that at present as many as 40,000 formulations made from plant extracts are there in practice in India by Ayurveda practitioners and in coming days out this at least 4,000 formulations will be come in picture. “Medicines made from these plant extracts will be cheaper. There are many diseases that would get eradicated from the scene including malaria, tuberculosis, polio, leprosy, filarial, yellow fever, plague, cholera but new viral diseases will come and there will be increase in environment – induced diseases-allergy, asthma etc”.

University student missing in Jaffna
[TamilNet, Monday, 28 November 2011, 09:23 GMT]

A student of the University of Jaffna, 27-year-old Vetharaniyam Latheesh, was missing after he left the gents hostel (Balasingham Hostel) of the University of Jaffna in Thirunelveali by 6:45 pm, Sunday evening. The student, studying at the Siddha Medicine department of the university located at Kaithadi, and used to stay in the hostel there, had come to the university hostel in Thirunelveali to meet a friend. University circles fear that the SL Army that was deployed in large numbers around the university campus on Sunday might have abducted him. A relative of Latheesh, who made a mobile call to him and got connected, heard his abductors talking in Sinhala and beating him, asking “kawuda” (who). The University Students Union has confirmed the abduction of Latheesh.

Mr. Latheesh, comes from the coastal village Aazhiyava’lai in Vadamaraadchi East in the Jaffna district that was formerly under the LTTE control.

Studying in Jaffna, he was arrested by the SL military during the war and was kept in detention at Poosa for a long time. He was released to continue his studies at the intervention of the university after the war.

As he had found his house at Aazhiyava’lai completely razed down, he was staying in the Kaithadi hostel and was being supported by his relatives.

‘Abductions’ have once again escalated in Jaffna, and the abduction of Lathesh creates much tension in the university community.

Working Group recommends 12 times hike in allocation for Ayush during 12th Plan

Working Group recommends 12 times hike in allocation for Ayush during 12th Plan
Joseph Alexander, New Delhi
 Tuesday, November 29, 2011, 08:00 Hrs [IST] 

The Working Group on Ayush set up by the Planning Commission has recommended a 12-fold increase in the allocation for the Department under the next Five Year Plan. Against Rs.3988 crore of the 11th Plan, it has suggested Rs.47,535.55 crore, including transfer of Rs.10,000 crore from National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) flexipool for implementation.

The ongoing schemes of 11th Plan comprise of eleven Central Sector Schemes with allocation of Rs.2053 crore and three Centrally Sponsored Schemes with allocation of Rs.1935 crore. The total allocation amounted to Rs.3988 crore. The 38th Report of the Public Accounts Committee (2006-07) has seriously pointed out that the share of Ayush in the total health plan at the central level has been only 2 per cent in spite of the policy pronouncement of raising Ayush share to 10 per cent with designated growth of 5 per cent in every Five-Year Plan. Inadequate allocation for Ayush has been considered by PAC the main reason for not achieving the set targets, the working group said.

“Accordingly, the 12th Plan allocation for Central and Centrally Sponsored Schemes is proposed to be enhanced almost by 7 times and 17 times respectively, including the transfer of Rs.10000 crore from NRHM Flexipool. This has led to total projected allocation of Rs.47535.55 crore (about 12 time-hike from 11th Plan allocation) to pave for effective implementation of projects in strategic thrust areas identified above and to step up the process of mainstreaming of Ayush,” the report said.

Necessary updating and revision of the norms, without making any structural change or change in the funding pattern of the schemes, will be done to ensure that the objectives of the schemes are adequately met, project proposals in targeted thrust areas are properly funded and the outcomes happen to be of long term value for the Ayush sector, it said.

The ongoing six schemes under Central Sector Schemes are strengthening of Department of Ayush, statutory institutions, hospitals and dispensaries, strengthening of Pharmacopoeial Laboratories, IEC and Ayush & Public Health function under the head of “System Strengthening”. In the 12th Plan, a provision of Rs.1409 crore has been proposed against the 11th Plan outlay of Rs.282.75 crore.

A key component of the allocation is augmenting pharmacopoeia work to develop 1000 monographs and strengthening Pharmacopoeia Commission & associated laboratories to accelerate the work of standardization and quality parameters of ASU drugs as per global requirements and acceptability.

Another component is providing support to build up the initiative of safety monitoring of Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani drugs under the pharmacovigilance system, which was introduced in the country during the 11th Plan period, by designating one National Pharmacovigilance Resource Centre, 8 regional centres and 30 peripheral centres to develop the culture of reporting adverse drug reactions of ASU drugs (Rs.15 crore).

Panel wants body to regulate, monitor healthcare providers

 Panel wants body to regulate, monitor healthcare providers

Joe C Mathew / New Delhi November 29, 2011, 0:25 IST


An expert committee that the Planning Commission constituted to suggest new methods for universal health coverage has called for a National Health Regulatory and Development Authority (NHRDA) to regulate and monitor public and private healthcare providers.

NHRDA, with enforcement and complaint redressal powers, will oversee contracts, accredit health care providers, develop ethical standards for care delivery, enforce patient’s charter of rights and take other measures to provide universal healthcare, according to the panels’ study. The high-level expert group, headed by Public Health Foundation of India president K Srinath Reddy, submitted the report to the Planning Commission on Monday.

According to sources, the Planning Commission has sought the views of private healthcare providers, health activists and medical professionals on the report before finalising it. The approved inputs will get reflected in the final Plan document of the Commission, which is expected by March 2012.


NHRDA will be responsible for formulating legal and regulatory norms and standard treatment guidelines and management protocols for the proposed National Health Package (for every citizen) to control entry, quality, quantity and price of healthcare delivery.

The expert group wants the national authority to be linked to similar state-level institutions and to the ombudsperson at the district level, especially to handle grievance redressal.

According to the proposal, NHRDA will have three distinct functional arms – the system support unit, the national health and medical facilities accreditation unit and a health system evaluation unit.

The system support unit will be responsible for developing standard treatment guidelines, management protocols and quality assurance methods for the UHC system. It will also develop the legal, financial and regulatory norms as well as a management information system for the universal health care system.

The National Health and Medical Facilities Accreditation Unit will be responsible for the mandatory accreditation of all allopathic and AYUSH health care providers in both public and private sectors as well as for all health and medical facilities. This accreditation facility housed within the NHRDA will define standards for health care facilities and help them adopt and use management technologies.

A key function of this Unit will be to ensure meaningful use of allocated resources and special focus should be given to information technology resources.

The Health System Evaluation Unit is meant for independent evaluation of the performance of both public and private health services at all levels after establishing systems to get real time data for performance monitoring of inputs, outputs and outcomes, the report said.