29/07/2019
Nod of endorsement for Ayurveda and other AYUSH therapies from the new British PM Boris Johnson.
The British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s first day in the House of Commons on Thursday (25th July 2019) also saw him giving a nod of endorsement for Ayurveda and similar therapies, as per media reports.
“I think it very important that we have an open mind about Ayurvedic medicine and other such therapies, but we should approach it on the basis of science first”, he said. The British Prime Minister’s statement was in total alignment with Government of India’s stated policy of promoting and developing the AYUSH systems of medicines on scientific lines and supported by evidence-based research.
The Prime Minister was replying to a query from David Tredinnick, Conservative MP from Bosworth in Leicestershire, who is known for his affinity for alternative medicine. He had asked: “I congratulate the Prime Minister on a brilliant start, and particularly his support of the health service. Is he aware that his counterpart in India, Prime Minister Modi, has oversight of two health Ministries: the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of AYUSH, which is for traditional and complementary medicine and has 7,000 hospitals? Will he ensure that the Health Secretary is in contact with AYUSH?”
The Prime Minister in his reply also seemed to indicate that he was in favour of the British Health Secretary getting in touch with the Ministry of AYUSH of India.
The word AYUSH emerged out of the acronym of the names of different traditional and complementary medical systems practiced in India such as Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy. However, the Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology of India subsequently adopted it as a word ‘ayush’ in Hindi and English languages for scientific and technical purposes, considering its wide-spread usage. As approved by the Commission, the word ‘ayush’ will have the meaning “Traditional and Non-Conventional Systems of Health Care and Healing which include Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa, Homoeopathy etc.”. Following the Commission’s recognition, the word ‘ayush’ gained increased currency in popular usage in a short span of time.
The Ayush systems are based on definite medical philosophies and represent a way of healthy living with established concepts on prevention of diseases and promotion of health. In acknowledgement of the principle of medical pluralism and the significance of Ayush systems in public health in India, the Government of India has set up a separate Ministry to exercise oversight on these systems.
