The Supreme Court recently sought a response from the Central Government on a petition seeking inclusion of traditional medical systems in the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. This demand is absolutely relevant and a commendable effort to promote the traditional medicine of India. By doing this, a large population will be able to get the benefit of affordable and accurate health facilities. Today, when lifestyle related diseases are increasing rapidly in the country, as medical science is developing, new diseases and their expensive treatment are becoming a big challenge. Therefore, both the trust in traditional medical system Ayurveda and its demand in the world have increased. The government should spearhead an innovative health revolution by working to make traditional medical systems more acceptable across the world. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is emphasizing the rich and powerful traditions of India i.e. Yoga, Ayurveda etc. They are also bringing schemes to make modern medicine cheaper and accessible to the public. In this context, the demand to include traditional medical systems in the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana in this petition filed recently in the Supreme Court is a timely and sensible effort. By doing this, while a large population will be able to get the benefit of affordable health facilities, traditional medicine will also be promoted.
India’s traditional medical systems such as Ayurveda and Yoga are cheaper and more accessible than other systems. This does not require much infrastructure. These can also be implemented through the existing health infrastructure. This will neither put much burden on the government nor on the public, rather the expansion of health insurance will only reduce the total medical cost of the country. However, this is not a matter on which the government faces much difficulty in taking a decision. Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana or Ayushman Bharat is the world’s largest health insurance scheme. About 55 crore people come under its purview. But a large population is still left out of its benefits. Traditional medicine can connect more people. It can be developed rapidly and delivered to every person and every home. The government has started work to make traditional medical systems more acceptable all over the world. In collaboration with the World Health Organization, it is also being seen how India’s traditional knowledge can contribute to keeping the world healthy. In this direction, attention is being given to research and innovation. By fulfilling the demands raised in the petition, the government will take its work forward and will bring a ray of health to the world.
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The demand for both Ayurveda and Yoga is increasing in the world. From market point of view, its growth rate is more than 15 percent. In 2014, the manufacturing sector of AYUSH was US $ 2.85 billion, which increased to US $ 18 billion in 2020. Indian herbal products and Ayurveda treatments are reaching more than 100 countries including America and Europe. Bringing it under Ayushman Bharat will further accelerate this. If demand increases then obviously production will also have to increase. This will create employment opportunities in this area and lead to economic progress. India’s Ayurveda will become a world market. This will definitely give impetus to India becoming the third largest economy in the world.
Ayurveda is considered to be one of the oldest traditional medical systems accepted throughout the world. In Ayurveda, plants, minerals, animal products, diet, exercise, moderate lifestyle and natural living are included. The initial concepts of Ayurveda are explained in Atharvaveda. The ancient knowledge in this traditional medical system has still not been fully explored. The confluence of rich knowledge of different traditional medical systems can open new avenues in the herbal drug discovery process. The lack of understanding of the differences and similarities between the theoretical principles of these systems is the biggest hurdle towards their convergence, among other obstacles in the discovery of plant-based medicines. The purpose of this review is to highlight the centuries-old history and basic principles of Ayurveda. This will help budding scholars, researchers and practitioners gain a deeper understanding of traditional medical systems, strengthen commonalities and overcome the challenges of global acceptance and reconciliation of such medicinal systems.
Ayurveda medical system has survived and prospered for centuries till today. With the vast knowledge of this nature based medicine, the structure of the human body and its working relationship with nature and the elements of the universe that work in coordination and influence living beings, this system is bound to prosper in the ages to come. Just highlighting the possibilities. There are still many ways to be explored by researchers, physicians and experts in the field to reduce health challenges by making this safer, more effective and less expensive traditional medical system alive. A Forbes report says that about 58 lakh people die every year in India. Traditional medical methods can prove effective in preventing these. Some time ago, the Center had approved to include elderly people above 70 years of age in the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. Traditional medicine can also better meet the needs of the growing elderly population. Along with Ayurveda medicines, emphasis is laid on simple, natural and worry-free life, pure environment, pure air-water, satvik-balanced diet and hard work in curing incurable diseases. In the fast-paced life of metropolitan cities, man has become a mere machine. He doesn’t even have time to think and understand about his health. The highly stressful lifestyle and competitions resulting from the rapid pace of development have given rise to anxiety and stress, which increase modern diseases.
It has been shown in many researches that there is extraordinary change in the psychology of people who do meditation and yoga. In such persons, there has been a reduction in nervousness, excitement, mental tension, aggression, psychosomatic diseases, selfishness and disorders and an increase in qualities like self-confidence, stamina, stability, work efficiency, sense of humor, concentration etc. have been observed. These direct benefits have been experienced in meditation and yoga, which are powerful means of controlling various diseases. That is why a lifestyle containing these qualities should be adopted to defeat modern diseases. By giving it an experimental form in the life-like laboratory with full faith and belief, happiness can be incarnated in life by destroying the demons of various types of diseases in life.
Experts believe that physical inactivity is also the root of diseases. By doing physical activity regularly like yoga, exercise and sports, weight can be controlled and blood sugar level can be kept under control. Yoga and Ayurveda talk about adopting an optimistic outlook and dietary restraint. To fight any disease, emphasis is laid on awakening resolve and giving up carelessness. Ayurvedic medicines are used along with living a balanced life and not letting stress and pressure dominate you, due to which effective effect of controlling the disease is seen. Think, life is not just for living, it is for living healthily and happily and Yoga-Ayurveda is the perfect solution for that. Various diseases can be prevented through Ayurveda and Yoga-like lifestyle, willpower, yoga-sadhana and healthy dietary habits.
– Lalit Garg
(The author is a senior journalist and columnist)
