Comprehensive Healthcare, Key Achievements and Milestones at AYUSH Wellness Clinic, President’s Estate: A Report of Six Years of Functioning

Abstract

There has been a rapid transition in the health needs of our country from infectious diseases to chronic diseases and lifestyle disorders in the last few decades. Likewise, there has been a resurgence of interest in holistic systems of health care among the general public. The Government of India has emphasized establishment of specialty centers of Indian systems of medicine and Homeopathy. Taking this vision forward, Rashtrapati Bhavan with the help of the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH), established the first AYUSH Wellness Clinic (AWC) of the country at President’s Estate in July 2015. The AWC provides comprehensive primary healthcare services encompassing preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative care utilizing Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy. The provision of health care is patient centric. The access to prescribed therapies is in an appointment-based manner. A culture of a collaborative approach to patient care among AYUSH systems of medicine has been established for patient benefit. A total of 153158 outpatient (OPD) consultations and 79309 therapies have been done from its inception from July 2015 to June 2021. Referral linkage has been established with the President's Estate Clinic for diagnostics and specialist referral to ensure continuum of healthcare for patients. The key achievements and milestones at AWC include COVID-19 response through AYUSH, annual AYUSH awareness workshops, numerous research papers published in peer reviewed indexed journals, training of staff in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), school health programmes, village out-reach OPD, Skill-development and Internship Programme for the residents, herbal garden and participation in Festival of Innovation.