Thiruvananthapuram: The govt has initiated steps to establish an independent Ayush university to coordinate education, research, treatment and drug development in various Ayush systems of medicine, health minister K Muraleedharan said.A four-member committee has been constituted to prepare a draft Bill for establishing the university. The principal secretary of the Ayush department will chair the committee while the national Ayush mission’s state wing director will serve as its convener. Ayurveda medical education department director and the govt homoeopathic medical college’s principal and controlling officer are the other members.Describing the move as a historic step towards creating a new academic framework for the Ayush sector, Muraleedharan said the proposed university aims to bring Ayush educational institutions currently affiliated with Kerala University of Health Sciences under a single umbrella.The university is proposed to be headquartered at the school of fundamental research in Ayurveda at Thrippunithura, Ernakulam. The committee will examine the existing functioning of Ayush educational institutions, the proposed university’s structure, academic systems, research programmes and administrative framework while preparing the draft Bill.The committee has been directed to submit the draft Kerala Ayush University Bill within two months. The proposed university will focus on strengthening the quality of education in Ayurveda, homeopathy, Siddha and Unani, expanding research opportunities and establishing academic systems of international standards.The minister said an independent university would give greater emphasis to Ayush education, research, clinical studies and drug development. It will also help Kerala’s traditional systems of medicine gain greater recognition at the national and international levels, he said.
