Sansad TV Perspective: Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit

In the series Sansad TV Perspective, we bring you an analysis of the discussion featured on the insightful programme ‘Perspective’ on Sansad TV, on various important topics affecting India and also the world. This analysis will help you immensely for the IAS exam, especially the mains exam, where a well-rounded understanding of topics is a prerequisite for writing answers that fetch good marks.

In this article, we feature the discussion on the topic: Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit 

Anchor: Teena Jha

Participants: 

1. Rajiv Vasudevan, Chairman, CII Ayush Forum
2. Prof. Tanuja Manoj Nesari, Director, All India Institute of Ayurveda
3. Vikram Singh, Director, Ministry of Ayush

Context: The Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit has been inaugurated by the Prime Minister at Gandhinagar in Gujarat with the key intention of reviving and expanding the traditional medicine systems of the country. 

The World Health Organisation defines traditional medicine as the sum total of the knowledge, skills and practices based on the theories, beliefs and experiences indigenous to different cultures used in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illness. 

At a Glance:

• India is all set to launch the AYUSH mark to promote traditional medicine products offering authenticity to the quality of AYUSH products of the country. 
• This Summit will act as an encouragement for the ancient medicinal practices and therapies of this country to gather popularity at the global platform. 
• The Ayush Global Summit intended to incorporate more innovations and investments in the Ayush sector through a dialogue involving entrepreneurs, industry, startups and other stakeholders. 
• This event became an iconic one with the presence of important delegates that included the Prime Minister of Mauritius, the WHO Director and representatives from the ministries of Health and Family Welfare, AYUSH and other stakeholders. 
• The emeging advancements of AYUSH have been discussed in the summit as India has experienced a significant increase in the production of Ayush medicines, supplements and cosmetics. An estimate of the growth of AYUSH amounts to more than $18 billion. 
• The launch of the Ayush Export Promotion Council along with four Ayush ICT initiatives have been announced. 
• A comic book release was witnessed with the title ‘Professor Ayushman’ which describes the potential of ayurvedic medicines in curing diseases and how it helped in the treatment of COVID-19. 
• The Ayush Startup Challenge was also organised by the All India Institute of Ayurveda in association with Start up India. 

Key Initiatives: 

• India has also decided to introduce a special Ayush visa category to facilitate people to travel to India for AYUSH therapy. This will add on to the  popularity of India’s traditional medicine system at the global platform. 
• The four Ayush ICT initiatives include Ayush Information Hub, AyuSoft, Ayush Next and Ayush GIS. 
• There have been announcements of introducing new initiatives during the Summit to expand the scope of AYUSH both nationally and internationally and they include the following:
  • Setting up Ayush parks for promotion
  • Research and manufacturing of Ayush products across the country
  • Introduction of a new category called Ayush Ahar to assist the producers of herbal nutritional supplements. 

What is Ayush Aahar? 

• In order to promote a nutritional diet and healthy living, the Ministry of Ayush introduced ‘Ayush Aahar’ as a pilot project available at the canteen of Ayush Bhawan. 
• This meal includes vegetable poha, Bhajani vada, Gajar ka halwa and Kokum drink. 

WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine

• The foundation stone for WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine has been laid by the Prime Minister at Jamnagar, Gujarat exemplifying India’s traditional medicine system as a holistic science of life. It will be the first and only global outpost centre for traditional medicines across the globe and will emerge as an international hub of global wellness. 
• This will be a milestone for the Ayush Industry boosting the objectives of the National Ayush Mission. 

Understanding Ayush: 

• AYUSH exemplifies the age-old practice of medicines that involves Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy. 

Ayurveda 

• It is one of the world’s holistic healing systems whose origin can be traced back to 3000 years ago in India. 
• It is based on the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body and spirit. 
• The main goal of Ayurveda is to promote good health and not just fight diseases. 
• According to ayurvedic science, everyone inherits a unique mix of the three doshas with one of them being stronger than the others. 
• These doshas are Vata Dosha (when the individual develops anxiety, asthma, heart disease, skin problems and rheumatoid arthritis), Pitta Dosha (when the individual develops heart diseases, high blood pressure) and Kapha Dosha (when the individual develops cancer, diabetes, nausea after eating, obesity and asthma). 
• The goal of this treatment is to cleanse the body of undigested food by the process of panchakarma which is designed to reduce the symptoms and restore harmony and balance. The treatment involves the usage of medicinal oils, herbs and laxatives. 

Image source: www.ayush.gov.in

Yoga 

• It is the ancient practice of India that entails meditation and breathing techniques to enhance mental and physical well being. 
• Yoga upholds the philosophy of Rig Veda which is a collection of ancient texts. 
• It is derived from the Sanskrit word “yuj” which means “union” or to join. 
• The major philosophical basis of Yoga is about connection between the mind, body and spirit. 
• It has six branches: Hatha Yoga, Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga and Tantra Yoga.
• Chakras are the centre points of energy, thoughts, feelings and the physical body. 
• Yoga has different types and styles such as:
  • Ashtanga Yoga
  • Bikram Yoga
  • Hatha Yoga
  • Iyengar Yoga
  • Kripalu Yoga
  • Kundalini Yoga
  • Power Yoga
  • Sivananda
  • Viniyoga
  • Yin Yoga
  • Prenatal Yoga
  • Restorative Yoga

Benefits of Yoga:

• Building muscle strength
• Enhancing flexibility
• Promoting better breathing
• Supporting heart health
• Reducing depression, anxiety, chronic pain
• Treatment for addiction

Read about International Yoga Day in the link shared.

Unani:

• The Unani system of medicine was introduced in India by the Arabs and Persians sometime around the 11th century. 
• Today, India is one of the leading countries in the practice of Unani medicine with a large number of educational, research and health institutes. 
• It originated in Greece and its foundation was led by Hippocrates. 
• It is believed that the Arabs played an important role in protecting the Greek literature of the Unani medicine and enriched it further.
• This system involves physics, chemistry, botany, anatomy, physiology, pathology, therapeutics and surgery. 
• The Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine is an autonomous organisation of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India with effect from 1979. 

Principles of Unani:

• The basic theory of Unani states that the human body is made up of:
  • Arkan: Air, earth, fire and water
  • Mizaj: Temperament of an individual
  • Akhlat: Humours or the moist and fluid part of the body which are produced after transformation and metabolism of the ailments. 
  • Aaza: Organs
  • Arwah: Spirits
  • Quwa: Faculties of three kinds like Quwa tabiyah (power of metabolism and reproduction), Quwa Nafsaniyah (Nervous and psychic powers) and Quwa Haywaniyah (vital power for maintaining life that enables all the organs to accept the effect of psychic power). 
  • Afaal: Functions of the organs

Siddha:

• It is a traditional medicine that originated in South India and is considered the oldest system of medicine in India.
• The Siddha practitioners believe that five basic elements like earth, water, fire, air and sky are in food. Therefore, according to Siddha philosophy, diet plays an important role in health and in curing diseases. 
• The concept of Siddha medicine is termed pathiyam and apathiyam based on do’s and don’ts.
• The herbal agents used by Siddha practitioners can be classified into:
• Thavaram – herbal product
• Thadu – inorganic substances
• Jangamam – animal products

Homoeopathy:

• It is a form of medicine that was developed in Germany more than 200 years ago.
• It is based on two theories such as:
  • Like cures like – it is a notion that ensures a disease to be cured by a substance that produces it.
  • Law of minimum dose – Lower the dose of medication, the greater is its effectiveness. 

Drawbacks of Traditional Medicines: Evaluating the Challenges 

• The major concern pertaining to traditional medicine is the lack of clarity on the side effects of these medicines as there is always a possibility of the presence of toxic substances even if the product is from a natural source. 
• Lack of proper inspection regarding the safety and efficacy of the medicines despite the fact that ayurvedic medicines minimise the risk pertaining to safety and are devoid of intense side effects. 
• Lack of awareness among people about herbal medicines that might lead to improper treatment which can turn fatal. 
• Many herbal medicines are very slow in their action and delay the healing process. So it can be inefficient in cases that demand speedy recovery. 
• Lack of proper dosage instructions. 

Way ahead for traditional medicines in India:

• The educated and innovative population across the country and world has contributed to the exponential growth of AYUSH products as a better alternative to modern medicines. 
• The increased acceptance of traditional medicines has gathered momentum in the wake of the pandemic as many herbal medicines were used in the treatment of COVID-19. 
• Experts recommend more evidence-based research and scientific interventions on traditional medicines to assure quality, safety, efficacy and authenticity. The inauguration of the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine at Jamnagar was a landmark initiative to formalise the production and usage of traditional medicines. 
• With capacity building in training, facilities, data analysis, incubation centres along with active support from the government and all other requirements in place, India will possibly be the leader in traditional medicines encouraging innovation and investments in the Ayush sector. 

Read more summaries of Perspective in the link.

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