Committee recommends a substantial increase in representation for States/UTs

Recommends teaching Urdu and Tamil in colleges offering Unani and Siddha

ANDALIB AKHTER / NEW DELHI

A parliamentary committee has suggested several measures to promote and popularize Indian System of Medicine and Homeopathy.

To make education in Homeopathy, Unani and Siddha affordable, the Department Related Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare recommended that fees for 50% of the seats should be decided by the Fee Fixation Committees of the State Governments.

It has recommended a substantial increase in representation of the States/UTs on the proposed separate National Commissions for Indian System of Medicine and Homeopathy for ensuring cooperative federalism between the Centre and the States.

The Committee recommended an increase in the representation of States/UTs from the proposed 6 to 10 on the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine and from 5 to 10 on the National Commission for Homeopathy.

Two reports of the Committee on the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill, 2019 and National Commission for Homeopathy Bill, 2019 were laid on the Table of Rajya Sabha Tuesday. These two Bills were referred to the Committee by Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu in January 2019.

  1. The Committee recommended new composition of the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine with an increase in the number of memberships from 29 to 44 and from 22 to 27 in respect of the National Commission for Homeopathy.
  2. Noting that the knowledge of Tamil is critical for understanding the Siddha system of medicine and of Urdu for Unani Medicine, the Committee recommended that these two languages be taught in the colleges offering courses in these systems of medicine.
  3. To make education in Homeopathy, Unani and Siddha affordable, the Committee recommended that fees for 50% of the seats should be decided by the Fee Fixation Committees of the State Governments or by the National Commissions for ISM and Homeopathy.
  4. Taking note of lack of effective mechanism for redressal of grievances from the patients/doctors and the teaching institutions, the Department Related Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare recommended setting up of a common Medical Appellate Tribunal for both ISM and Homeopathy.
  5. In a major recommendation, the Committee favoured inclusion of Yoga and Naturopathy in the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill, 2019 and setting up of a separate board of Yoga and Naturopathy for their regulation.
  6. Noting that there is ample scope for the widespread use of Homeopathy system which offers a safe, reliable and cheap alternative without side effects, and the huge potential for the country to emerge as a global hub for medical tourism in AAYUSH, the Committee urged the Government to evolve an appropriate policy in partnership with the private sector to promote Homeopathy by developing adequate infrastructure.