Absence of separate Dept
for Ayurveda drugs control administration in Kerala puts enforcement system
into Dilemma

Lack of a separate department for
Ayurveda drugs control administration in Kerala, is a bad news as this is one
state where various new and conventional ayurvedic drugs are manufactured,
traded and exported every day.

Ayurveda community has put
forward a demand that the Department of Ayurveda Drugs Control should be
brought under the proposed Ayush department. As of this day, since the drugs
controller of allopathy is controlling the department of Ayurveda, the Ayurveda
drugs control wing is not getting due attention from the government and is
lacking development. Despite the fact that government has made sure that the
Ayurveda medical education and Indian System of Medicines are working
separately under Ayush , the government is undecided on establishing a distinct department for ayurveda drugs
control administration.

Kerala is the hub of Ayurveda and
about 30 per cent of the populace here
still follow Ayurveda for all common diseases. More than 800 Ayurveda
manufacturing companies are operational with more than 1000 kinds of ayurvedic medicines being
manufactured, sold and exported every day.
But yet the state lacks an independent department for controlling the
circulation of ayurvedic medicines.

Lack of separate dept for Ayurveda drugs control administration in
Kerala puts enforcement system into quandary

Lack of a separate department for Ayurveda drugs control administration
in Kerala puts the law enforcement system into a quandary as the administrative
wing is unable to take independent decisions with respect to regulatory activities and every day
functions. This happens in a state where scores of new and conventional
ayurvedic drugs are manufactured, sold and exported every day.

Concerned over the issue, the Ayurveda Medical Association of India
(AMAI), an association of ayurveda practitioners in Kerala, and the Ayurveda
Medical Manufacturers? Organisation of India (AMMOI) are jointly preparing to
approach the state government demanding
creation of a separate department for Ayurveda drugs control wing.

Ayurveda fraternity, in total, demands that the Department of Ayurveda
Drugs Control should be brought under the soon-to-be-established Ayush
department. As an introductory step to form the department of ayush in Kerala,
the government has appointed a Secretary for Ayush to do the preliminary work.

Currently, the Ayurveda drugs control wing is functioning under the
control of the allopathic drugs controller, though the licensing authority for
Ayurveda is a separate deputy drugs controller from Ayurveda side. Since, no
independent charge is given for the deputy drugs controller of Ayurveda, the
drugs control administration is totally failing day by day, said Dr D
Ramanathan, secretary of AMMOI.

Whereas, Dr Rejith Anand, secretary of AMAI said his association has
held strikes and agitations several times demanding the establishment of independent
department for Ayurveda drugs control and the health minister has assured the
formation each time. He said government should also appoint sufficient staffs
to strengthen the department. Presently, all over Kerala only seven drug
inspectors are doing the enforcement work.

Sources from health department said, since the drugs controller of
allopathy is controlling the department of ayurveda also, the Ayurveda drugs
control wing is not getting due consideration from the government side and no
developmental step is undertaken. Even the in-charge deputy drugs controller
for Ayurveda is not invited to any of the meetings called by the health
secretary or the minister. The allopathic drugs controller has no interest in
bringing up the ayurveda wing under his control.

The government has appointed separate directors for Ayurveda medical
education and Indian System of Medicines. These two departments are working
separately and coming under the department of Ayush. But, the government is
hesitant to establish a separate department for ayurveda drugs control
administration.

In Kerala about 30 per cent of the population is still following the
system of Ayurveda for all common diseases and the state is considered as the
hub of Ayurveda. More than 800 Ayurveda manufacturing companies are operating
in the state and above 1000 kinds of ayurvedic medicines are manufactured, sold
and exported every day. But the state
lacks an independent department for controlling the circulation of ayurvedic
medicines.

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