PIB Summaries 19 June 2024

CONTENTS

1. National Survey on AYUSH Systems of Medicine

National Survey on AYUSH Systems of Medicine

Context:

Recently, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the findings of a national survey on Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) systems of medicine.

Relevance:

GS II: Government policies and Interventions

Dimensions of the Article:

1. Highlights of the AYUSH Survey
2. Understanding AYUSH

Highlights of the AYUSH Survey

• Overview:
  • The first comprehensive all-India AYUSH survey was conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) from July 2022 to June 2023, providing valuable insights into the use of traditional healthcare practices within the Indian population.
• Coverage:
  • The survey spanned the entire Indian Union, excluding a few inaccessible villages in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
• Objectives:
  • To gather data on:
    • Public awareness of the traditional healthcare system (AYUSH).
    • The usage of AYUSH for the prevention or treatment of ailments.
    • Household knowledge of home remedies, medicinal plants, and local health traditions/folk medicine.
    • Household expenditure on treatments using AYUSH medicine systems.

Key Findings

• Awareness of AYUSH:

• In rural India, about 95% of males and females (aged 15 and above) are knowledgeable about AYUSH, with urban areas showing an awareness rate of approximately 96%.
• About 79% of households in rural areas and 80% in urban areas have at least one member aware of medicinal plants and home medicines.
• Around 24% of households (both rural and urban) have at least one member aware of folk medicine or local health traditions.
• Usage of AYUSH:
  • Approximately 53% of urban residents and 46% of rural residents have used AYUSH for the prevention or treatment of ailments in the past year.

• Expenditure on AYUSH Treatments:
  • The average expenditure per person for AYUSH treatments is Rs. 574 in urban areas and Rs. 472 in rural areas.
• Purpose of AYUSH System Usage:
  • The survey provides insights into the specific purposes for which AYUSH systems are used, such as rejuvenation (preventive), therapeutic (curative), or both.
• Yoga Practice:
  • In about 1.1 crore rural households and 1.4 crore urban households, at least one member practices yoga regularly.

Understanding AYUSH

• Definition:
  • AYUSH is an acronym for the traditional medical systems practiced in India, including:
    • Ayurveda: Focuses on holistic well-being.
    • Yoga: Integrates body, mind, and spirit through physical postures and meditation.
    • Naturopathy: Utilizes natural elements like water, air, and diet for healing.
    • Unani: Restores balance using herbal medicines and humoral theory.
    • Siddha: Traditional Tamil medicine based on five elements and humours.
    • Homoeopathy: Employs highly diluted remedies to stimulate self-healing responses.
• Philosophy:
  • These systems are grounded in specific medical philosophies, promoting healthy living and the prevention of diseases.
• Ministry of AYUSH:
  • The Ministry is responsible for the development, education, research, and promotion of AYUSH in India.