Department of Ayush (Kerala)
| AYUSH Department | |
| Department overview | |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | Kerala, India |
| Headquarters | Government Secretariat, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India |
| Minister responsible |
|
| Department executive |
|
| Child agencies |
|
| Website | health |
The Department of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) is a department under the Government of Kerala that formulates policies, administers government institutions, and coordinates programmes related to traditional and alternative systems of medicine in Kerala. The department promotes Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy and regulates educational, research, and healthcare activities in the AYUSH sector across the state.[2][3]
The department functions through directorates and autonomous bodies that manage hospitals, research institutions, medical colleges, and wellness programmes.
The ministry has been accused of promoting pseudoscience[4][5] and has faced significant criticism for funding systems that lack biological plausibility and are either untested or conclusively proven as ineffective. Quality of research has been poor, and drugs have been launched without rigorous pharmacological studies and meaningful clinical trials on ayurveda or other alternative healthcare systems.[6][7]
Leadership
The Department of AYUSH is administratively under the Cabinet Minister for Health and Family Welfare. The current minister is Veena George.[8]
The department is headed by a Principal Secretary to Government, an IAS officer, supported by Additional Secretaries, Deputy Secretaries, Under Secreteries and other officials posted in the Secretariat.[9]
Functions
- Promotion and development of Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Unani, Siddha, Yoga and Naturopathy.[2]
- Administration of government AYUSH hospitals, dispensaries, and medical education institutions.
- Implementation of national and state AYUSH health programmes.
- Promotion of AYUSH-based preventive health and lifestyle medicine.
- Coordination of research, clinical trials, and medicinal plant development initiatives.
Directorates
The operational wings of the department include:
- Directorate of Homeopathy
- Directorate of Indian Systems of Medicines (ISM)[10]
- Directorate of Homeopathic Medical Education (DHME)
- National Ayush Mission, Kerala
Organisations
The following is the table of organisations under administrative control of Ayush department.
| Organisation | Website |
|---|---|
| Ayurveda Drugs Control, Kerala | dcayur |
| State Medicinal Plants Board, Kerala | www |
| Kerala State Homoeopathic Co-operative Pharmacy Ltd. (HOMCO) | homcokerala |
| The Pharmaceutical Corporation (Oushadhi) | www |
Subordinate Institutions
Directorates / Field Departments
- Directorate of Homeopathy[11]
- Directorate of Indian Systems of Medicine (ISM)[12]
- Directorate of Ayurveda Medical Education (DAME)[13]
- Directorate of Homeopathic Medical Education (DHME)[14]
- National Ayush Mission (Kerala)[15]
Autonomous Bodies & Missions
- National AYUSH Mission (Kerala)
- Kerala State Ayurveda Co-operative Federation (The Arya Vaidya Pharmacy Co-op)
- Kerala Medicinal Plants Board
Major Institutions
- Government Ayurveda Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram
- Government Ayurveda Medical College, Kannur
- Government Homoeopathic Medical Colleges in Kerala
See also
- List of government hospitals in Kerala
- Department of Health and Family Welfare (Kerala)
- Ministry of Ayush, Government of India
References
- ^ https://health.kerala.gov.in/acsdeskdetails
- ^ a b "Department of AYUSH - Government of Kerala". ayush.kerala.gov.in. Archived from the original on 2024-06-01. Retrieved 2025-11-10.
- ^ Bureau, The Hindu (2025-01-17). "Kerala government making efforts to improve AYUSH department initiatives in State, says Governor". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2025-11-10.
{{cite news}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ Kumar, Ruchi (27 April 2020). "Face It: The Indian Government Is Peddling Pseudoscience – The Wire Science". Retrieved 2022-04-10.
- ^ Krishnan, Vidya (2020-08-18). "Where Pseudoscience Is Spreading". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2022-04-10.
- ^ Rathee, Pranshu (2018-11-20). "What is AYUSH and the controversy around it?". Deccan Herald. The Printers (Mysore). Archived from the original on 2020-11-22. Retrieved 2021-04-04.
- ^ Narayanan, Kavya (2020-07-01). "AYUSH Ministry is endangering people, jeopardising Ayurveda with lax response to Patanjali's Coronil and COVID-19, warn experts". Firstpost. Archived from the original on 2020-11-21.
- ^ "Kerala Council of Ministers - Kerala Legislative Assembly". niyamasabha.nic.in. Retrieved 2025-11-10.
- ^ Rules of Business of Government of Kerala – Part II: First Schedule
- ^ ISM (2022-05-10). "Home". Department of Indian Systems of Medicine. Retrieved 2025-11-10.
- ^ "Home". Homoeopathy. Retrieved 2026-01-14.
- ^ ISM (2022-05-10). "Home". Department of Indian Systems of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-01-14.
- ^ "DAME – Ayurveda College". Retrieved 2026-01-14.
- ^ Windstripe (2023-09-11). "Home". Government Homoeopathic Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram. Retrieved 2026-01-14.
- ^ Kawika. "National AYUSH Mission is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the Ministry of AYUSH". nam.kerala.gov.in. Archived from the original on 2025-12-18. Retrieved 2026-01-14.