AYUSH Integration in National Health Systems
The Indian government has implemented a comprehensive strategy to integrate AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy) systems with the national healthcare infrastructure through the National Health Mission. The approach involves co-location of AYUSH facilities at primary healthcare centers, enabling patients to choose from different medicine systems under a single-window service mechanism. As of December 30, 2025, NHM supports AYUSH services in 13,249 health facilities, including 6,302 Primary Health Centres (PHCs), 3,191 Community Health Centres (CHCs), 475 District Hospitals (DHs), and 3,281 other health facilities. The program has deployed 25,322 AYUSH doctors and 5,666 AYUSH paramedics across states and UTs with NRHM funding support.
Institutional Framework and Regulatory Measures
The Ministry of Ayush and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare have established an Ayush Vertical under the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) for planning and monitoring AYUSH-specific public health programs. Integrated Ayush Departments have been established in Central Government Hospitals, including operational departments at Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjung Hospital and Lady Hardinge Medical College in New Delhi. Quality control of AYUSH medicines is enforced through the Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Drugs Rules, 1945, requiring manufacturers to adhere to Good Manufacturing Practices as per Schedule T and Schedule M-I. The Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H) sets formulary specifications and pharmacopoeia standards, serving as the official compendia for quality assessment. Currently, 118 private laboratories are approved under Drugs Rules, 1945, and 34 State/UT Drug Testing Laboratories test quality of ASU drugs and raw materials for legal samples.
Research and Development Initiatives
The Ministry of Ayush has established five autonomous research councils: Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS), Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH), Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy (CCRYN), and Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM). These institutes conduct research through peripheral institutes across the country focusing on clinical research, drug research, medicinal plants research, and scientific validation. Significant initiatives include CCRAS's operational studies on integrating Ayurveda with modern medicine for osteoarthritis management and reproductive child health services, CCRH's co-location of homoeopathy treatment centers in allopathic hospitals across multiple states, and CCRS's integrated Siddha cancer OPDs and MoU with AIIMS Rishikesh for collaborative research on cancer management.
Safety Monitoring and Policy Framework
Under the Central Sector Scheme Ayush Oushadhi Gunavatta Evam Uttpadan Samvardhan Yojana (AOGUSY), the Ministry supports strengthening of Ayush Pharmacies and Drug Testing Laboratories. The scheme includes a pharmacovigilance component for ASU&H drugs with a three-tier network comprising one National Pharmacovigilance Coordination Centre (NPvCC), 5 Intermediary Pharmacovigilance Centers (IPvC), and 97 Peripheral Pharmacovigilance Centers (PPvC). On May 30, 2025, the Ministry launched the "Ayush Suraksha" IT-enabled online portal to strengthen pharmacovigilance, and an Ayush vertical has been created in Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) to enhance regulatory measures. CDSCO also issues WHO Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product (WHO-CoPP) for Ayush drugs meeting quality standards.
The Ministry has prepared an Ayush Policy Roadmap as a strategic framework developed through extensive consultations, outlining key policy priorities to strengthen the Ayush sector across healthcare, research, education, and industry. The roadmap covers infrastructure, education, training, health service delivery, research and development, manufacturing sector, drug regulation, quality raw materials, international cooperation, and policy reforms. The main objectives include establishing a holistic wellness model based on Ayush principles, reducing disease burden and out-of-pocket expenditure, and providing informed choice to rural populations, with reported increased footfall in dispensaries converted to AAM (Ayush) facilities.