Ayurveda in India-The Hindu-11-11-2022

Ayurveda in India-The Hindu-11-11-2022
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CONTEXT - Ayurveda, India’s traditional medicine, has been in practice for close to 3,000 years and has been serving the healthcare needs of millions of Indians.

PRELIM AND MAINS

What is Ayurveda?

About:

The word Ayurveda is derived from AYU and VEDA. AYU means life, VEDA means science or knowledge, and Ayurveda means the science of life.

Ayurveda embraces all living things, human and non-human.

It is divided into three main branches

Nara Ayurveda: dealing with human life.

Satva Ayurveda: dealing with animal life and its diseases.

Vriksha Ayurveda: dealing with plant life, its growth and diseases.

Ayurveda is not only a system of medicine but also a way of life for complete positive health

The practice of Ayurveda:

The Indian Medical Council which was set up in 1971 establishes suitable qualifications in Indian medicine and recognizes various forms of traditional practice including Ayurveda, Unani, and Siddha.

Significance:

In Ayurveda it is believed living man is a conglomeration of three humours (Vata, Pitta & Kapha), seven basic tissues (Rasa, Rakta, Mansa, Meda, Asthi, Majja & Shukra) and the waste products of the body i.e., mala, mutra and sweda.

The growth and decay of this body matrix and its constituents revolve psychological mechanisms of these elements and its balance is the main reason for the state of one’s health.

The principal objectives of Ayurveda are the maintenance and promotion of health, prevention of disease and cure of sickness.

What are the Key Challenges faced by Ayurveda in the Modern World?

Ineffective Treatment in Emergency Cases:

The inadequacies of Ayurveda in treating acute infections and other emergencies including surgery, and the lack of meaningful research in therapeutics continue to limit the universal acceptance of Ayurveda.

Ayurveda therapeutics are complex and there are too many dos and don’ts.

Ayurvedic medicines are slow to act and heal. It is difficult if not impossible to predict response or prognosis.

Misleading Propaganda by Ayurvedic Pharma:

The Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia industry claimed that its manufacturing practices were consistent with the classic Ayurveda texts.

For the better market appeal of ayurvedic medicines, pharmaceutical companies publicized many medicinal claims about their ayurvedic products without sufficient scientific basis.

What Initiatives has the Government taken for the Development of Ayurveda?

National Ayush Mission

Aahaar Kranti Mission

New Portals on Ayush Sector

ACCR Portal and Ayush Sanjivani App