The process of official recognition of Homoeopathy started with the passing of the first resolution by the Central Legislative Assembly in 1937 followed by another resolution in 1948. But it was only in 1952 that Homoeopathy started getting recognition in the States and in 1973, a Central Act was passed for recognising this system of medicine. Today, Homoeopathy has become a part of the National Network of Health services in India and providing health services to the people through hospitals, dispensaries and private practitioners.
The Government of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare gave an independent identity to Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy by creating a separate department. Later it was renamed as Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) in November 2003.
The department is entrusted with the responsibility of developing and propagating officially recognised systems, namely, Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy Siddha, Unani, and Homoeopathy. This was done in explicit realisation of contributions these ancient and holistic systems can make towards the health care of the people. These systems have marked superiority in addressing chronic conditions and offer a package of promotive and preventive interventions.
The Department continued to lay emphasis on upgradation of AYUSH educational standards, quality control and standardization of drugs, improving the availability of medicinal plant material, research, development and awareness to generation about the efficacy of the systems domestically and internationally.
Samuel
Das
SahuThe Secretary is the head of the department. Joint secretaries, advisers, deputy advisers and officials are posted under the respective systems of Medicine. Smt Anita Das IAS serves as secretary and Head of the department. Sh. Shiv Basant IAS and Sh. Verghese Samuel IAS are Joint secretaries. Dr.S.P.Singh is the adviser for Homoeopathy. Dr. Eswara Das and Dr. Sadanand Sahu are Deputy Advisers for Homoeopathy.
The Department has three subordinate offices, one public sector undertaking, two statutory organisations, four research councils, eight educational institutions and a National Medicinal Plant Board (with 35 State/ UT level boards) under its administrative fold.
Homoeopathic Pharmacopial Laboratory (HPL) is one among the three subordinate offices. It is located at Ghaziabad and it has been set up similarly as a National Laboratory for the purpose of laying down standards and testing for identity, purity and quality of Homoeopathic Medicines. The laboratory has also assigned functions of Central Drug Laboratory for testing of Homoeopathic medicines under Rule 3A of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act. Standards worked out by the laboratory are published in the form of Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia of India (HPI).So far eight Volumes have been published.
Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) is one among the four Apex Research Councils. There is Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha (CCRAS), Central Council for Research in Unani Medicines (CCRUM), and Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy (CCRYN) separately.
Research and Development activities related to AYUSH are being implemented under intramural and extramural research programmes of these Councils. These councils are engaged in conducting clinical research in Health Care, Drug Research, Survey and Cultivation of Medicinal Plants, Pharmacognosy, Phyto-chemistry, Pharmacology, Toxicology, Drug Standardisation and Literary Research for revival of the ancient classical literature.Central Council for Homoeopathy is a statutory body. This body was set up under the acts of parliament . The Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) regulates the Indian Systems of Medicine. These councils prescribe course curricula, evolve and maintain standards of education and maintain central registers of practitioners of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy respectively. Their main responsibilities are to regulate education and practice of respective systems of medicine and advice Government regarding education. With the amendment to Central Councils' Acts the Central Government has taken over the powers to grant permission for opening of new colleges, starting of new or higher courses of study and increase of admission capacity. The proposal of establishing independent council for regulating pharmacy education of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy is under active consideration of the Central Government.
National Institute of Homoeopathy
There are eight apex educational institutions established to promote excellence in Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathic education. For each system there is a National Institute established at various places in India. National Institute of Homoeopathy is located at Kolkata.
The Central Acts are in place to regulate education and practice, manufacture of drugs for sale and enforcement mechanism. Ayurveda, Siddha Unani and Homoeopathy drugs are covered under the preview of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. Since most of the medicines of AYUSH sector are made from medicinal plant materials, the Department had set up a National Medicinal Plants Board to promote cultivation of medicinal plants and ensure sustained availability and quality of raw material.
