Ministry of AYUSH and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare have signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for creating inter-regional convergence at the level of policy, planning and program implementation for quick response to the “Tuberculosis-free India” initiatives.
Targeted cooperation between the two ministries is to develop the relationship and integration of TB care services within AYUSH’s infrastructure and institutional networks. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Secretary Health and Family Welfare Smt. Preeti Sudan and Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha in the presence of Minister of Health and Family Welfare Shri Harshvardhan, MoS Health and Family Welfare Shri Ashwini Choubey and Minister of State for AYUSH and MoS Defence Shri Shripad Yesso Naik.
On this occasion, Shri Shripad Naik said that tuberculosis is not only a challenge for the medical fraternity but is also a serious social problem which is mainly killing the population suffering from poverty, malnutrition, poor hygiene, housing and working conditions. The Minister said that AYUSH systems have the potential knowledge base, qualified and trained human resources, and overall health care practices that help achieve the objective of TB free India. He further said that accordingly, it is expected that multifaceted issues of people suffering from TB can be addressed with meaningful participation of integrated approach, inter-regional convergence and AYUSH region.
Memorandum of understanding with the Central TB Division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare underlines the scope and extent of TB diagnosis, control and management, awareness building, capacity building of Ayush institutions and health service providers in Ayush Partnership. Under the Memorandum, the activities envisaged under the MoU will be covered by AYUSH organizations and professional bodies and joint scheme for promoting the use of evidence-based AYUSH interventions for TB control and management. Its aim is to facilitate the research cooperation and best practices of AYUSH healthcare and to create capabilities for TB-free workplaces and communities. Both the Ministries will appoint nodal officers for the operation of the development activities of the implementation plan, operational modes of operation and the Memorandum of Understanding.
