KATHMANDU, July 10: The government is set to launch the National Ayurveda and Panchakarma Programme. However, the Department of Ayurveda and Alternative Medicine says the budget allocated for the next fiscal year is insufficient, making it unlikely that the programme will be implemented effectively
According to the department, the government announced in its budget speech that funds would be allocated for the operation of the National Ayurveda, Panchakarma and Yoga Service Centre in Budhanilkantha, the National Ayurvedic Research Centre and Naradevi Ayurvedic Hospital. However, despite the budget allocation, the department says the lack of necessary staff will make it difficult to operate these institutions effectively.
Department spokesperson and Ayurveda practitioner Dr Punya Keshari said that although the government has announced that these centres will become fully operational from this fiscal year, the required staff have yet to be recruited. According to both the department and Dr Shyambabu Yadav, acting director of the National Ayurveda, Panchakarma and Yoga Service Centre in Budhanilkantha, around 86 staff members need to be recruited and deployed for the centres to operate at full capacity.
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"At present, we are providing only outpatient services with the help of three doctors serving under scholarship contracts. It will take time to begin Panchakarma and inpatient services," Dr Yadav said.
He said the centre requires at least 86 personnel, including 15 doctors and technical staff. Although the centre has requested the required workforce, the recruitment and deployment process will take time, making it uncertain when the facility will become fully operational.
"Outpatient services are currently being provided by doctors working under scholarship contracts," he said. "It is impossible to provide Panchakarma treatment, admit patients and deliver comprehensive care without additional manpower."
According to Dr Keshari, Dr Yadav himself is a doctor assigned by the department, while a Level VIII doctor is overseeing the centre's daily operations.
Despite the government's budget allocation for the National Ayurveda, Panchakarma and Yoga Service Centre, the department says it will be difficult to make the programme fully operational on schedule because of the shortage of manpower.
