Healthy mind dwells in healthy body. In view of this the State Govt has accorded priority to the health sector and special emphasis has been given to develop health infrastructure besides expansion of qualitative health services in the State. Initiatives have been taken to ensure modernized facilities, best infrastructural, research facilities and availability of adequate staff. Besides this, health institutions were being upgraded alongwith opening of new health institutions. Himachal Pradesh is one of the leading States in best health indicators in the country.
Endowed with enormous herbal wealth, the Himachal Government is committed to exploit the traditional Indian medicinal assets and is also taking necessary measures to conserve and promote the same. To add new dimension to the Indian system of medicine, the State government has given added priority to strengthen the Ayurveda infrastructure in the State, since Indian systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy have played historically a vital role in the Health care system of the State of Himachal Pradesh from times immemorial.
The Department of Ayurveda 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 in Rajiv Gandhi Government Post-Graduate, Ayurvedic College, Paprola. 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. B- Pharmacy course has been started at Jogindernagar with intake capacity of 30 students.
. As of today, 33 Ayurvedic Hospitals, 1,204 Ayurvedic Health Centers, 14 HHC, 3 UHC, 4 Amchi Health Centers are providing healthcase facilities to the people in the State. Besides, three Herbal Gardens set up at Joginder Nagar (Mandi), Dhumrera (Rohru) and Jungal Thalera (Bilaspur).
The department of Ayurveda is also associated with National Health Programmes like Janani Suishu Yojna, Family welfare, Anaemia free, AIDS, immunization and pulse polio to cater the health need of maximum people in the State. The Government is also focused towards the strengthening of the Health Service in tribal and remote areas through multi speciality camps. Amachi Health Centers have been established through which the people residing in remote and rural areas of the State are served largely by the Indian System of Medicine (ISM) Institutions receptive to the indigenous system of medicine particularly for treatment of seasonal and chronic diseases.
The State government through the department of Ayurveda is also providing the specialised services by 17 Panchkarma and 9 Kasharsutra units which are established in different hospitals. Specialities 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. Free Medical Check up/treatment camps are organised 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.
