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

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

Speaking at 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 Ayurvedic colleges will be opened in the state at a cost of ₹ 280 crore, including one each in Dharmavaram and Pithapuram and an Unani medical college in Proddatur. Naturopathic Medical College in Visakhapatnam is nearing completion. All these facilities are being developed at ₹70 crore each.

Integrated AYUSH hospitals will be set up in Tirupati, Giddalur, Nandigama, Tenali, Tekkali and Rampachodavaram with an investment of ₹ 90 crore, he said.

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

Later, Minister of Medicine, Health and Family Welfare G. Veerapandian emphasized the need to strengthen public confidence in traditional medical systems by ensuring products comply with drug regulations.

He pointed out that medicinal plants are grown in only 30,000 to 35,000 acres in Andhra Pradesh and called for expansion of this area.

Director of Secondary Health, KVN Chakradhar Babu said that many natural solutions are available in home kitchens. He urged people to be wary of products marketed with the “natural” label and to verify quality standards before purchasing.

Adviser to Government, Yoga and Naturopathy, Manthena Satyanarayana Raju, Chief Executive Officer of Andhra Pradesh Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Board, Avula Chandrasekhar and others attended the programme.