The Indian AYUSH Ministry aims to operationalize 12, 500 Health and Wellness centres (HWCs) across the country in a phased manner over a period of five years.

The centres will be set up by 2023-24 by upgrading the existing stand-alone AYUSH dispensaries and sub-health centres.

“The operationalization of AYUSH HWCs will help to mainstream the traditional systems of Healthcare leading to their enhanced role in Comprehensive Primary Healthcare delivery in the country,” the ministry tweeted.

The HWCs also aim establishing a holistic wellness model based on AYUSH principles and practices focusing on preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative healthcare by integration with the existing public health care system, to provide informed choice to the public in need, by making the AYUSH services available and to spread community awareness about lifestyle, yoga, medicinal plants and provision of medicines for selected conditions as per strength of AYUSH systems.

A total of 21 HWCs were launched in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday in a function attended by Shripad Naik, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) AYUSH, and Dr Jithendra Singh, Union Minister of State for the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region.

During the event, a foundation stone was also laid for a Post-Harvest Management Unit for medicinal plants at Bhaderwah. The centre has been set up to develop facilities for drying, sorting, processing, certification, packaging and safe storage of herbal raw materials produced and collected by local people so that its quality is enhanced to yield better price.