Central government employees, pensioners get this AYUSH health facility; check details

New Delhi: Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has approved the facility of Day Care Therapy Center under Ayurveda, Yoga, and Naturopathy systems for central government employees and pensioners. Private Day Care Therapy centers of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy will be empanelled under Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) shortly, in a manner similar to empanelment of Day Care Therapy Centers of conventional (Allopathy) medicine already provided by CGHS, said a recent official statement.

The Union Health Ministry said that all CGHS beneficiaries, serving as well as pensioners will be able to avail the benefit of these centers, adding "This step has been taken by the ministry, keeping in view of the growing popularity of AYUSH system of medicines amongst the public at large and all CGHS beneficiaries."

Initial empanelment of Day Care Therapy Centres will be undertaken on a pilot basis for Delhi and NCR for a period of one-year and subsequently would be considered for other places.

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The treatment procedure requiring a short duration of stay in the Day Care Therapy Centre, ranging from a few hours to less than a Day will be made available to CGHS beneficiaries under this scheme. 

"The aim of the scheme is to improve the health and wellbeing, reduce health care expenditure, and provide excellence in service delivery, efficiency, and comfort to the patients. As the treatment procedure does not require an overnight stay in an unfamiliar environment, it is extremely convenient for children and elderly patients," the statement said. 

This is yet another important government step to extend the benefit of the AYUSH system of medicine.

Currently, the treatment of approved procedures like Panchkarma and Abhyanga etc. is given only after hospitalization in CGHS empanelment hospital. This involves additional costs to CGHS as indoor room charges, which are separately paid by CGHS apart from the procedure cost. The daycare centers will not only reduce the cost of hospitalisation but will also add to the patient’s convenience. 

AYUSH Daycare Centre includes Community Health Centre (CHC), Primary Health center (PHC),  Dispensary, Clinic, Polyclinic or any such center which is registered with the local authorities, wherever applicable and having facilities for carrying out treatment procedures and medical or surgical/ Para surgical interventions or both under the supervision of registered AYUSH medical practitioners on daycare basis without in-patients services.

AYUSH Medical practitioners need to comply with the following requirements:

1. Having qualified registered AYUSH Medical Practitioner

2. Having dedicated AYUSH therapy sections as required

3. Maintaining daily records of the patients and making them accessible to the insurance company’s authorized representative

4. NABH accreditation or entry-level certification in case of private centers