The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Bill to check unhealthy practices in Ayurveda treatment

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 10, 2005

Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Bill to check unhealthy practices in Ayurveda treatment

S.Anil Radhakrishnan

To be introduced during the ongoing Assembly session

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Tourism in association with the Health Department has given final shape to a draft Bill aimed at checking the mushrooming of Ayurveda centres in the State.

The Bill would bring to an end the unhealthy practices and ensure genuine and systematic treatment at these centres.

"The draft Bill titled `Kerala Ayurveda Health Centres 2005 (Licensing and Controlling)' has already been cleared by the Department of Law. Efforts are on to pilot the same jointly by the Health and Tourism Ministers during the ongoing session of the Assembly itself," Tourism Principal Secretary E.K. Bharat Bhushan told The Hindu.

Being introduced at the initiative of the Tourism Minister K.C. Venugopal, the legislation comes in the wake of mushrooming of Ayurveda centres, especially in and around major tourist destinations, without basic facilities and trained staff. Many centres have allegedly been functioning as beauty and massage parlours and indulging in clandestine activities bringing disrepute to Ayurveda and the State at large.

As per the draft Bill, the Ayurveda health centres will now be divided into A, B and C categories based on the treatment facilities offered. Complicated treatments have been banned in C class centres, which need a minimum floor area of 100 sq.ft. Ayurveda rejuvenation therapies (Panchakarma) such as "Vamana", "Virechana", "Vasti" and "Nasya" will not be allowed in these centres. However, they can provide "Uzichil" and "Udwartana".

In all the three categories, Droni (treatment couches), made of either wood or fibre, has been made mandatory. Registered medical practitioner should be present in the centre when the treatment is being provided. Only registered therapist and masseurs should provide treatment and should also wear uniform during the working hours.

Only male therapist/masseurs should be involved in treatment for men and female therapist/masseurs for women. Quality medicines and oils must be used. Reuse of these will not be allowed. The used medicines and oils at the centre should be disposed of without causing environment problems.

The centres should be maintained in good hygiene and be devoid of sound pollution. The licence number and working hours should be displayed properly in the building as also a register containing the details of those coming to the centres for treatment. Along with it, the case sheet should be maintained.

Floor area of the treatment rooms, number of therapists, masseurs and nurses, mandatory things needed such as examining tables, stethoscope, BP apparatus in an examining room in each category of the centres have been specified in the draft Bill.

All Ayurveda health centres in the State should take licence in addition to those being granted now by the local bodies. All existing centres should take the licence within six months once the legislation is enacted.

The Director of the Indian System of Medicine would be the authority to issue licence. He or the officer nominated by him has been given powers to carry out inspection at the centres. Those found running the centres without licence would be liable for a penalty of Rs.10,000 and the licencing authority would have powers to close down illegal centres.

Kerala Tourism has already held detailed discussions with the stakeholders of the tourism industry on the provisions of the Bill and to elicit their opinion. The Principal Secretary said necessary fine-tuning, if needed, would be made later.

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