Ministry of Ayush and Department of Ex-servicemen Welfare/Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), Ministry of Defence have signed Memorandum of Understanding to integrate Ayurveda in ECHS Polyclinics as an OPD service for five years period.

These will be established at 10 polyclinics based at Ambala, Mysore, Ranchi, Nagpur, Bhopal, Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Meerut, Danapur, and Allepey (Alappuzha). Ayurveda centres are already in place in 37 cantonment Hospitals, 12 military hospitals of AFMC and Ayurveda OPD in AH R&R, AF Hospital Hindan and five ECHS polyclinics.

The MoU was signed on behalf of Ministry of Ayush by Dr Manoj Nesari, Adviser (Ayurveda), Ministry of Ayush and by Maj Gen N R Indurkar, MD, Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme in the presence of Pramod Kumar Pathak, Special Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, Brig Jitendra Singh, ECHS, Col AC Nishil, Director (Medical) and other officials of Ayush Ministry.

According to this MoU, Ayurveda OPD will be established in 10 ECHS Polyclinic/Dispensaries in various regions of India to cover all ECHS members on voluntary basis. Ministry will provide technical guidance from time to time and will empanel Ayurveda Doctors and Pharmacists for their engagement and provide list of essential Ayurveda medicines and any other technical support as may be required.

Both ministries have agreed to form a joint working group (JWG) comprising representatives from Ministry of Ayush and Department of Ex servicemen Welfare/ECHS, Ministry of Defence to take forward the proposal of establishing OPDs as per the MoU.