Four Ayush colleges will be set up in A.P., says Health Minister

With the aim of making Andhra Pradesh a hub of AYUSH, the government has initiated development works worth ₹414 crore to strengthen the sector, said Minister for Health, Medical and Family Welfare Satya Kumar Yadav.

Addressing a workshop on the importance of cultivation and marketing of medicinal and aromatic plants at Tummalapalli Kalakshetram in Vijayawada on Wednesday, Mr. Satya Kumar Yadav said four Ayurveda colleges are coming up in the State at a cost of ₹280 crore, including the one each at Dharmavaram and Pithapuram, and a Unani medical college in Proddatur. The Naturopathy Medical College in Visakhapatnam is nearing completion. All these facilities are being developed at ₹70 crore each.

He said integrated AYUSH hospitals would be set up at Tirupati, Giddalur, Nandigama, Tenali, Tekkali and Rampachodavaram, with an investment of ₹90 crore.

The Minister noted that medicinal plants such as moringa (drumstick) and aloe vera have a global demand and that the government is encouraging value addition in agricultural produce through medicinal plants to improve market opportunities for farmers.

Later, Medical, Health and Family Welfare Secretary G. Veerapandian stressed the need for strengthening public confidence in traditional medicine systems by ensuring that the products complied with drug regulations.

He pointed out that medicinal plants were being cultivated on only 30,000 to 35,000 acres in Andhra Pradesh and called for expansion of the acreage.

Director of Secondary Health K.V.N. Chakradhar Babu said many natural remedies are available in household kitchens. He urged people to remain cautious about products marketed under the label “natural” and to verify their quality standards before purchasing.

Government Advisor, Yoga and Naturopathy, Manthena Satyanarayana Raju, Avula Chandrasekhar, Chief Executive Officer of the Andhra Pradesh Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Board, and others took part in the programme.