Dhanwantri Rath: Ayurveda Health Services | 19 Aug 2020

Why in News

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) and Delhi Police for extending the Ayurveda Preventive and Promotive health services in the residential colonies of Delhi Police.

  • These services are to be provided through a mobile unit named ‘Dhanwantari Rath’ and Police Wellness Centres and are to be catered by AIIA, supported by the Ministry of AYUSH.

Key Points

  • Dhanwantari Rath and Police Wellness Centres would be outreach OPD (OutPatient Department) services of AIIA and aim to benefit the Families of Delhi Police through Ayurveda preventive health care services.
  • Dhanwantari Rath – a mobile unit of Ayurveda health care services would consist of a team of Doctors who would be visiting Delhi Police colonies regularly.
    • These Ayurveda health care services are expected to reduce the incidence/prevalence of various diseases and also reduce the number of referrals to hospitals thereby reducing cost to the healthcare system as well as patients.
  • Earlier, AYURAKSHA, a joint venture of AIIA and Delhi Police aimed for maintaining the health of frontline Covid warriors like Delhi police personnel through Ayurveda immunity boosting measures was launched.
    • With the latest MoU, Ayurveda Preventive and Promotive health care will be extended to the families of Delhi Police personnel.

Ayurveda

  • It is made up of two words- Ayuh and Veda. Ayuh means life and Veda means knowledge or science. Thus ‘Ayurveda’ in totality means ‘Science of life’.
  • It incorporates all aspects of life whether physical, psychological, spiritual or social.
  • It is considered as one of the ancient health care systems.
    • Atharva-veda mainly deals with extensive Ayurvedic information. That is why Ayurveda is said to be the offshoot of Atharva-Veda.
  • The Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) was formed in 2014 to ensure the optimal development and propagation of AYUSH systems of health care.

All India Institute of Ayurveda

  • It is an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of AYUSH.
  • It has been conceived as an apex institute for Ayurveda.
  • It aims at bringing a synergy between traditional wisdom of Ayurveda and modern tools and technology.
  • The institute offers postgraduate and doctoral courses in various disciplines of Ayurveda and focuses on fundamental research of Ayurveda, drug development, standardization, quality control, safety evaluation and scientific validation of Ayurvedic medicine.
  • It is located in New Delhi.

Source: PIB