About NAM

• The National Ayush Mission is a centrally sponsored scheme launched in 2014 by the Department of AYUSH, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

• The basic objective of NAM is to promote AYUSH medical systems through cost effective AYUSH services, strengthening of educational systems, facilitate the enforcement of quality control of Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani & Homoeopathy (ASU &H) drugs and sustainable availability of ASU & H raw-materials. 
• It envisages flexibility of implementation of the programmes which will lead to substantial participation of the State Governments/UT. 
• The NAM contemplates establishment of a National Mission as well as corresponding Missions in the State level. 
• NAM is likely to significantly improve the Department’s outreach in terms of planning, supervision and monitoring of the schemes.

Vision

• To provide cost effective and equitable AYUSH health care throughout the country by improving access to the services.
• To revitalize and strengthen the AYUSH systems making them prominent medical streams in addressing the health care of the society.
• To improve educational institutions capable of imparting quality AYUSH education
• To promote the adoption of Quality standards of AYUSH drugs and making available the sustained supply of AYUSH raw-materials.

Objectives

• To provide cost effective AYUSH Services, with universal access through upgrading AYUSH Hospitals and Dispensaries, co-location of AYUSH facilities at Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs) and District Hospitals (DHs).
• To strengthen institutional capacity at the state level through upgrading AYUSH educational institutions
• Support cultivation of medicinal plants by adopting Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) so as to provide sustained supply of quality raw-materials and support certification mechanism for quality standards, Good Agricultural/Collection/Storage Practices.
• Support setting up of clusters through convergence of cultivation, warehousing, value addition and marketing and development of infrastructure for entrepreneurs.

Components of the Mission

Mandatory Components

• AYUSH Services
• AYUSH Educational Institutions
• Quality Control of ASU &H Drugs
• Medicinal Plants

Flexible Components

• Out of the total State envelop available, 20% funds will be earmarked for flexible funds which can be spent on any of the items given below with the stipulation that not more than 5% of the envelop is spent on any of the components:
  • AYUSH Wellness Centres including Yoga & Naturopathy
  • Tele-medicine
  • Sports Medicine through AYUSH
  • Innovations in AYUSH including Public Private Partnership
  • Interest subsidy component for Private AYUSH educational Institutions
  • Reimbursement of Testing charges
  • IEC activities
  • Research & Development in areas related to Medicinal Plants
  • Voluntary certification scheme: Project based.
  • Market Promotion, Market intelligence & buy back interventions
  • Crop Insurance for Medicinal Plants

Expected outcomes

The expected outcomes of the mission are as follows:

• Better access to AYUSH healthcare services through increased healthcare facilities offering AYUSH services and better availability of medicines and trained manpower,
• Improvement in AYUSH education through a well-equipped enhanced number ofAYUSH Educational institutions, 
• To focus on reducing communicable/non-communicable diseases through targeted public health programmes using AYUSH systems of Healthcare.

Why in the news?

• The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the continuation of National AYUSH Mission (NAM) as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme from 01-04-2021 to 31-03-2026.

Reference:

1. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1735383