MAHAMANA Declarations

Action Plan of the International Seminar on the Role of Ayush & Covid-19 Pandemic 2020

  • Background
  • The Journey

  • The Way Forward

Background

The Mahamana Declarations on AYUSH are a set of nine Guiding Principles evolved by a group of experts after a weeklong virtual International seminar during COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown period, from 27th April to 2nd May, 2020.

The purpose of the seminar was to understand the great ancient science of AYUSH and how it can play a role during the COVID-19 virus attack globally as well as to reignite confidence in the AYUSH system emphatically among citizens of the world by incorporating best possible scientific and technological advances. The intention was to build awareness amongst the consumers and patients on the various options to stay healthy and protected from not only the virus but also other unresolved challenges prevalent in the healthcare sector.

Four partners are drove this noble mission in an extremely tight timeline to suggest appropriate Policies derived from the expert consultations. These four powers included the Faculty of Ayurveda, Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS), Banaras Hindu University (BHU). Consumer Online Foundation (COF) and Patient safety and Access Initiative of India Foundation (PSAIIF) standing for the representation of the global citizenry,the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce Industry (FICCI) and the Quality Council of India (QCI).

Each day over 100 stakeholders examined on effective and practical ways to promote and improve the accessibility to indigenous Alternate System in order to reduce morbidity and mortality through AYUSH system.

The Journey

During the first six months, the Guiding Principles were discussed by Special Interest Groups (SIGs) through regular meetings with their members. As a result, the following significant developments were crystallized

  • A communication strategy on AYUSH

  • A behavioral survey of consumers and a multimedia campaign strategy framed to increase the demand for AYUSH and other contemporary, alternative and integrative systems of medicine in India and overseas.

  • Data was shared on AYUSH mark for assurance of quality in manufacturing and hospital.

  • A strategy for placing AYUSH practitioners in healthcare centers under Ayushman Bharat.

  • Fruitful discussions on the past experience and the existing healthcare delivery systems.

  • AYUSH practitioners course structure, content, duration, role of councils and universities as well as integration of Ayurveda with Allopathy curriculum inter alia were proposed.

  • Various possibilities were established for streamlining the quality of medicinal plant and their product availability to end users.

  • Draft Bill for enactment of a law for a robust single window Regulatory Authority.

  • Registration of a portal, namely, www.hamaraayush.org for virtual data sharing.

  • Database from 25 prestigious Universities across the country and 454 scientific articles collected.
  • A draft paper on leadership in shaping policies for AYUSH.

The Way Forward

After a thorough review, the partners have reformulated work for the course of the next six months; to further consolidate nine Special Interest Groups regrouped to four Working Groups.

Each group is allotted a specific action plan dealing with the following areas:

Develop a Comprehensive Draft BILL for Ministry of AYUSH for Enactment of a Law, exclusively for a Robust Single Window Regulatory Authority to deal with all the dimensions of AYUSH Products sold in India, right from sourcing of, medicinal herbs and plants, raw materials, manufacturing, distribution and use by patients/citizens

Given the fact that AYUSH practitioners are to be placed in H&WC will work towards ensuring they administer those protocols for prevention of disease and promotion of good health, only those medications, and prescribe only those formulations which have been duly validated, and accepted as part a protocol for that condition/ill-health.

Introduce process change in the Licensing requirements, which needs to be updated to include requirement of data related to confirmatory evidence of efficacy claims of the AYUSH combination product

Create a National Policy Document on AYUSH for going Global based on sound science

Besides these four working Groups, a Leadership Group and a Parliamentarian Group are being formed.

On completion of the above mentioned tasks, a report will be submitted to the Ministry of AYUSH for taking recommendations to their logical conclusions.