Andhra Pradesh government moves to regulate AYUSH sector

According to the Health Minister, the committees will consult practitioners, hospitals, industry stakeholders, and the public before submitting recommendations by the end of this month

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

In a major reform aimed at strengthening traditional healthcare systems and curbing the menace of fake medical practitioners, the Andhra Pradesh government has initiated sweeping changes in the AYUSH sector. Medical and Health Minister Satyakumar Yadav announced on Monday that the government would soon introduce a comprehensive regulatory framework making registration mandatory for all AYUSH clinics and hospitals operating in the state.

The move is intended to improve the quality, credibility, and accessibility of Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Siddha, Unani, Yoga, and Naturopathy services while bringing the largely unregulated sector under official supervision. The reforms follow amendments to the Andhra Pradesh Allopathic Private Medical Care Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2022, which recently received the Governor’s approval after being passed by the Legislature.

As part of the reform process, the government has constituted three special committees,  a Technical Committee, an Experts Committee, and a Stakeholders Committee, to frame detailed operational guidelines. Each committee comprises senior officials, experienced AYUSH practitioners, and subject experts. The panels have been tasked with studying best practices followed in states such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka, which are considered leaders in traditional medicine regulation and integration.

According to the Health Minister, the committees will consult practitioners, hospitals, industry stakeholders, and the public before submitting recommendations by the end of this month. The Technical Committee will focus on treatment protocols and medical standards, while the Experts Committee will draft regulatory mechanisms. The Stakeholders Committee will gather public feedback and assess ground-level concerns.

Once the new rules come into force, all AYUSH clinics and hospitals will have to obtain registration from the AYUSH department, similar to allopathic healthcare institutions.

According to official data, Andhra Pradesh currently has around 1,400 private AYUSH clinics and nearly 40 private AYUSH hospitals, besides 737 government dispensaries and eight government hospitals. The state also has 2,558 registered Ayurveda practitioners, 4,599 Homeopathy doctors, 788 Unani practitioners, and 379 Yoga and Naturopathy specialists.