Endowed with enormous herbal wealth, the Himachal Pradesh Government endeavoring to exploit the traditional Indian medicinal assets and is also taking necessary measures to conserve and promote the same.
The Department of Ayurveda has launched a programme for the promotion and conservation of the herbal wealth by setting up herbal gardens in the different Agro-climatic zones. Presently the many Herbal Gardens have been established in the different agro climatic zones in the State which includes Herbal Gardens at Jogindernagar, Neri (Hamirpur), Dhumrera (Rohroo) in Shimla district and Jungal Thalera in Bilaspur district.
With a view to identify genuine species of the medicinal plants of the respective agro climatic zones, another objective of the State Government is to develop agro-techniques of medicinal plants for making cultivation of medicinal plants to supplement the income of the people of the State. Besides, awareness is being created among the people on the various aspects of the medicinal plants.
As a step towards strengthening the Ayurveda system, the State Government has increased admission strength of Bachelor of Ayurveda, Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) seats from 50 to 60 at Rajiv Gandhi Government Post-Graduate, Ayurvedic College, Paprola for the next Academic Session. Besides, the PG seats in Kayachikitsa, Shalakya Tantra, Shalya Tantra, Prasuti Tantra, Samhita and Sidhant, Dravya Guna, Rog Nidan, Swasth Vritta, Panchkarm Balrogand Ras Shastra are also available. The State government has started the B- Pharmacy course at Jogindernagar with intake capacity of 30 students.
As of today, 31 Ayurvedic Hospitals, 1,113 Ayurvedic Health Centers, 14 HHC, 3 UHC, 4 Amchi Health Centers are working in the State. Besides, three Herbal Gardens set up at Joginder Nagar (Mandi), Dhumrera (Rohru) and Jungal Thalera (Bilaspur).
The State government through the department of Ayurveda is also providing the specialize services by 17 Panchkarma and 9 Kasharsutra units which are established in different hospitals. Specialties of Ayurveda like Panchkarma, Ksharsutra, and therapeutic Yoga etc. are being provided in some Ayurvedic Hospitals working under the department. Trained Para-medical staff has been deployed in various Ayurvedic hospitals. Besides this department has also been organising free Medical Checkup/treatment camps in the different parts of the state and health awareness campaigns has also been started in the state.
The State Government has setup four Amchi Health Centres, three Unani Health Centres and one Drug Testing Laboratory has been established at Jogindernagar in Mandi along with three departmental Ayurvedic Pharmacies in the State’s manufacturing Ayurvedic Drugs for free distribution within the State. The pharmacies are located at Majra in Sirmour, Jogindernagar in Mandi and Paprola in Kangra.
