Recently, the Ministry of AYUSH notified that 523 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAM) were approved in Jammu and Kashmir under the National AYUSH Mission (NAM) which is a significant progress towards strengthening healthcare systems in the landscape of Jammu and Kashmir.
From treating ailments to preventative care, this project emphasizes the government’s supply and commitment to accessible and holistic (rather than simply western) health care. And finally, Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM) services signal a growing recognition of public alternative health systems and traditional medicine continued development in new public health circles.
Ayushman Arogya Mandirs will be referenced across Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) where ensuring equitable access to care has been problematic due to the ruggedness and distribution of the geography. AAMs combine Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy (AYUSH) care and western services and will made care closer and cheaper for local, often rural, residents.
As innovative system of service delivery, AYUSH will provide a cost-effective and culturally relevant educational and medical model to rural and remote communities that would be able to benefit from systems of care rather than individual providers, to provide preventive care, wellness, and Non Communicable Disease (NCD) health care to share in the burden of tertiary care from hospitals.
Due to the growth in interest in natural and holistic therapies, AAMs can be a source of research, education, and community health awareness. The provision of a more integrative approach to medicine is important.
Even with 523 centres approved, implementation is important. Adequate staffing, quality control over medicines, and coordination with existing health services like Ayushman Bharat will make or break AAMs.
In addition to the basic establishment of these AAMs, public awareness campaigns will need to be established to garner social trust in AYUSH systems while recruiting community participation.
The establishment of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in Jammu and Kashmir is a positive sign towards the vision of ‘Swasth Bharat’ (Healthy India).
Through this combo of customary wisdom and contemporary healthcare system, this approach can positively impact public health challenges.
