The Ayurveda, homoeopathy, naturopathy, siddha, unani, and yoga (AYUSH) controversy linked to COVID-19 continues, with accusations that the Ministry of AYUSH is promulgating alternative medicine therapies with no basis in scientific facts. The AYUSH controversy has been a fixture in some respects during this pandemic. As early as January, commentators ridiculed the AYUSH Ministry for […]
yoga
International Day of Yoga: A brief history
![Crowds practise yoga in Nainital, Uttarkhand on International Yoga Day, 2017. Image credit: By Jbharti749 [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], from Wikimedia Commons](https://d1o5numy7xgf2v.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Yoga_at_Nainital-150x150.jpg "Yoga isn’t timeless: It’s changing to meet contemporary needs")
With today marking International Day of Yoga, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to observe the occasion whilst maintaining the physical distancing measures in place to combat the pandemic. “These are times of distancing,” he said. “But do you know Yoga is what ends distance? Yoga is that which joins or […]
AYUSH practitioners: Modi reaches out
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reached out to Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) practitioners to participate in efforts to tackle the disease – while also cautioning against promoting unproven cures. Modi interacted with AYUSH practitioners via videoconferencing over the weekend and suggested that they could benefit the […]
Baba Ramdev in hot water over coronavirus claims
Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has attracted criticism following controversial claims concerning the ongoing pandemic of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19. Ramdev, who uses the honorific title “Swami Ramdev” in addition to “Baba”, has reportedly angered public health professionals following his suggestion that Ashwagandha, an Ayurvedic remedy and common component of traditional medicine in India, could […]
Yogic sciences knowledge a must for Karnataka doctors
Doctors in Karnataka must display awareness and knowledge of the yogic sciences, a government official has said. Dr K. Sudhakar, the Minister of Medical Education in the Karnataka state government, addressed a convocation ceremony at the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute recently. There, he said that “doctors must have good knowledge of yoga and […]
Yoga to be tested for cardiology benefits
A method for testing the effectiveness of yoga in the treatment of diseases, including heart conditions, is to be presented at an event in Bengaluru. Dr Indranill Basu Ray, a prominent Indian-American cardiac electrophysiologist at the Veterans Hospital in Memphis, US, is presenting the presentation at the Indian Science Congress (ISC) in Bengaluru. ISC commenced […]
AYUSH boost in Himachal Pradesh
A boost to traditional medicine has been given by the Himachal Pradesh state government, as the cabinet has approved plans to upgrade facilities administering alternative healthcare. Promoting AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) has been a tenet of the Modi government’s healthcare policy since first coming to power in 2014. The establishment […]
Traditional medicine centres for the Armed Forces
Traditional medicine centres are being opened to cater to members of the Indian Armed Forces, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Union Ministries of Defence and Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy (AYUSH). The MoU was signed at the inauguration of a traditional medicine centre by Shripad Yesso […]
AYUSH Ministry proposes Ayushman Bharat additions
Ayushman Bharat has recently celebrated the first anniversary since its launch. While controversial in some states, the scheme has drawn praise both at home and abroad and allowed medical services to be availed by tens of lakhs of Indians across the country. The AYUSH (Ayurvedic, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) Ministry has proposed […]
AYUSH Grid: A national network for alternative medicine
The Union Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) will develop an ‘AYUSH Grid’, connecting alternative medicine centres nationwide. The network will make it easier to assess the efficacy of alternative medicine systems, enabling AYUSH hospitals and laboratories to share data such as case studies and observation reports. This will be […]