Ministry gives nod to set up 50-bedded Ayush hospital in city

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 23

Ayush (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) is set to get a boost as the Union Health Ministry has approved to set up a 50-bedded hospital in the city. Besides, all 22 homoeopathy and ayurvedic dispensaries in the city will be upgraded within this financial year.

At a secretary-level meeting held in New Delhi, the Union Health Ministry approved the plan drafted by the Chandigarh Administration.

A total of Rs 8 crore will be spent on these projects this year. In the absence of the UT Health Secretary, UT Health Director and local National Ayush Mission (NAM) Director VK Gagneja and the NAM nodal officer, Dr Rajiv Kapila, participated in the meeting on behalf of the UT.

While land for the hospital is yet to be earmarked, an amount of Rs 2 crore will be spent on the project this year, while the remaining amount, as per the requirement, will be allocated to the Chandigarh Administration.

In order to strengthen the Ayush network in the city, ayurvedic and homoeopathy wings will be set up at Government Multi-Specialty Hospital, Sector 16, and Community Health Centre, Sector 45.

Under the NAM, the UT Health Department will develop Sarangpur and Faidan villages as Ayush grams where schoolteachers, anganwadi workers and ANMs will be imparted training in yoga and naturopathy so that they can help and train others in the village. The ayurvedic dispensary at Sector 37 and the homoeopathic dispensary in Sector 27 are likely to get yoga and naturopathy centres. Besides, yoga training and dietary programmes will be conducted in 39 schools in different parts of the city.