New Delhi [India], July 29 (ANI): In a significant move to strengthen scientific research in traditional Indian systems of medicine, the Ministry of Ayush has established five apex research councils. These include the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM), the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH), the Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS), and the Central Council for Research in Yoga & Naturopathy (CCRYN).
These autonomous research bodies are engaged in core research areas such as clinical research, pharmacological research, drug standardization, and medicinal plant studies, including medico-ethnobotanical surveys, pharmacognosy, and cultivation. Literary research and documentation are also important aspects of their work.
The councils also conduct collaborative studies with various universities, hospitals, and scientific institutions across the country. In addition to their research mandates, they are involved in extension activities like healthcare services through Out-Patient Departments (OPDs) and In-Patient Departments (IPDs), special geriatric healthcare clinics, and community outreach programs. Noteworthy initiatives include the Tribal Health Care Research Programme (THCRP), the Swasthya Rakshan Programme, and the Ayurveda Mobile Health Care Programme under the Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCSP).
To further encourage research and innovation, the Ministry of Ayush has launched a Central Sector Scheme called “AYURGYAN.” This scheme provides financial assistance to medical, scientific, and research and development institutions, as well as university and institutional departments in both the government and private sectors, for projects that promote innovation and development in priority areas of Ayush.
The Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM) has taken several steps to integrate Unani medicine with evidence-based medical practices. The council has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with leading academic and scientific organizations including the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Hamdard in New Delhi, the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER), the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) in Hyderabad, Anna University in Chennai, the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), and the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology in Srinagar.
The Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS) is currently operating an Integrated Siddha OPD for cancer care at the All India Institute of Ayurveda campus in New Delhi. It also runs a Siddha Clinical Research Unit at Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, which supports palliative care for cancer patients through the Siddha system.
The Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) is working to integrate homoeopathy with mainstream healthcare. It conducts collaborative research in integrative medicine with institutions such as AIIMS Delhi and AIIMS Jhajjar in Haryana, as well as with several state government and private homeopathic medical colleges. The council is also providing homoeopathy treatments in allopathic hospitals for various clinical conditions.
These initiatives reflect the Ministry of Ayush’s ongoing commitment to blending traditional wisdom with modern science to enhance healthcare accessibility, research quality, and patient outcomes in India. (ANI)
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