By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI/BHUBANESWAR: Minister of State (IC) for Ayush Shri Pratap Rao Jadhav in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha said that as reported by State Government of Odisha, 584 Ayurvedic Medical Officers, 525 Homoeopathic Medical Officers and 2 Unani Medical Officers are appointed at Government Ayurvedic / Homoeopathic / Unani Dispensaries in the State, including rural and tribal areas of Odisha.
Public Health being a State subject, the primary responsibility regarding increasing awareness of Ayush treatments among the people, conducting training programmes for Ayush doctors and improving the reach of Ayush healthcare services in remote districts of Odisha, lies with the respective State Government. However, under Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the National Ayush Mission (NAM), there are provisions for Information Education & Communication (IEC) activities, Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) activities, training & capacity building, setting up of 10/30/50 bedded Integrated Ayush Hospitals, construction of building to establish new Ayush Dispensary in the area where there are no Ayush facilities available and establishment of new Ayush colleges in the States where availability of Ayush teaching institutions is inadequate in Government Sector. In this regard, State Governments may avail the financial assistance by submitting suitable proposals through State Annual Action Plans (SAAPs) as per the provisions of the NAM guideline.
As reported by the State Government of Odisha, Induction Training programs for newly appointed Government Ayurvedic/Homoeopathic Medical officers and Ayush assistants are being implemented. Further, Refresher Training programs for Government Ayurvedic/Homoeopathic Medical officers, appointed as Community Health Officers (CHOs) at 422 Ayushman Arogya Mandir (Ayush) of the State, are being conducted.
Following steps have been undertaken by State Government of Odisha to increase awareness of Ayush treatments among the people:
- Various IEC activities like Outreach Health camps, Integrated Ayush Camps, Geriatric Health camps, and International Day of Yoga etc. are being conducted in the State.
- Screening camps under Ayush Public Health Programmes like National program for Prevention and Management of Osteoarthritis & other Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD) & VAYO MITRA: AYUSH Geriatric Healthcare Services.
- 422 Ayushman Arogya Mandir (Ayush) are providing Ayush healthcare services based on holistic wellness model with focus on preventive, promotive, curative & rehabilitative healthcare services. Further, regular Yoga sessions, Medicinal plant distribution and Health day observations are being conducted at these centres.
Further, Tele-AYUSH facilities have been introduced in Odisha. This service has been implemented through e-Sanjeevani platform involving 50 nos. of Ayushman Arogya Mandir (Ayush) as Spoke and Dr. Abhin Chandra Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital, Bhubaneswar, Gopabandhu Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya, Puri as Hub.
