Kerala’s burgeoning ayurveda warrants separate drugs controller

R BabyManoj - Thiruvananthapuram

For the Kerala allopathic drug industry comprising around 100 units, there are sixty drug inspectors; whereas for the ayurvedic industry consisting of more than 1,200 units, there are just three drug inspectors!

The booming ayurvedic drug manufacturing units in the state have reached such a gargantuan proportion that a separate drugs controller for ayurveda seems imperative.

According to reliable sources in the department of health of the state government, manufacturing units have mushroomed to such an extent that the state drugs controller’s office is quite inadequate for effective drugs control. Currently, it has just three drug inspectors for 14 districts and only one deputy drugs controller at its head office.

The state drugs controller’s office, which is pre-occupied with allopathy, is ill equipped to ensure quality of ayurvedic drugs. This means an impending danger is looming at large in the form of health hazards, as spurious manufacturers who indulge in mixing allopathic drugs and disproportionate quantities of alcohol in formulations are having their way and thriving at the expense of unsuspecting public.

The situation has reached this pathetic level mainly because of the Drugs and cosmetic Act of the state, which states that for Indian Systems of Medicines, the licencing authority will be the state’s drugs controller (who is always from the Allopathy stream).

EPP learns that situation elsewhere in India is not much different. Sources in the health department say that there are many instances, the allopathic lobby in the drugs controller’s office scuttled many a project meant for Ayurveda. These include even funding from the Central government.

In a recent episode, a Rs.70 lakh grant from the central government to Ayurveda in the state for setting up a lab, along with the allocated land was usurped by this lobby. It is quite surprising that the state, which has a number of ayurvedic and siddha colleges, does not have a separate Ayurveda Directorate.

However, for colleges of Homoeopathy, a much smaller system in size and popularity, there is a separate, independent directorate. Making things quite easy for the spurious ayurvedic drug manufacturers, as per the prevailing laws, they do not need a licence from the state licensing authority for selling the medicines.

However, in the case of allopathy, licence is mandatory for both manufacture and sale. Undoubtedly it is the need of the hour to implement a strict licencing mechanism for ayurveda too. “Immediately a minimum number of 14 drug inspectors, one each per district is required to check malpractices”, a reliable source said. “There are 3-4 drug inspectors for allopathy in each district”, he added.

Around three years back, three posts of drug-inspectors for Ayurveda were abolished by the government in an unwise move, it is learnt. In a recent development, T.P.Gopinathan retired from the post of State Drugs Controller and Abdul Shukkur has assumed office in his place. The fact that the state drugs controller who is also the licencing authority for Ayurveda, is always from the allopathy stream results in a step-motherly attitude towards this sector which has tremendous potential not only in ensuring better health for the people, but also in improving the economic health of the state, sources say.

This scenario assumes increased significance considering the fact that among others, its ayurvedic tradition plays a major role in booming tourism of this tiny state along with its picturesque landscape of backwaters and hills in a moderate tropical climate.

— rbmanoj@expressindia.com