Delhi High Court Denies Plea for Ayurveda Yoga, and Naturopathy Inclusion in Ayushman Bharat

The Delhi High Court has rejected a plea advocating for the inclusion of Ayurveda, yoga, and naturopathy in Ayushman Bharat, the national public health insurance system. The ruling was issued by a panel led by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan, in the absence of the petitioner’s attorney, lawyer Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay. The bench, including Justice Manmeet PS Arora, dismissed the plea in default after no one came forward for the petitioner, even after a Passover.

Earlier, on November 2, the high court had issued notifications to the Union ministries of Health and Family Welfare, Ayush, Finance, and Home Affairs, as well as the Delhi government, directing them to submit counter-affidavits in response to the public interest case.

The petition aimed to include Ayurveda, yoga, and naturopathy within the National Health Protection Mission, especially the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), also known as Ayushman Bharat, to safeguard citizens’ rights to health.

The plea urged the implementation of the scheme in every state and coverage of Indian healthcare systems under it. It argued that such inclusion would enable a significant portion of the population to access affordable healthcare benefits and wellness for various serious diseases at low rates, creating employment opportunities in the field of Ayurveda.

The dismissed plea highlighted that Ayushman Bharat predominantly covers allopathic hospitals and dispensaries, whereas India boasts various indigenous medical systems like Ayurveda, yoga, naturopathy, Siddha, Unani, and homoeopathy, deeply rooted in the country’s traditions and effective in addressing present healthcare needs.

It lamented the erosion of India’s cultural, intellectual knowledge, and scientific heritage due to policies influenced by foreign rulers and individuals with a colonial mindset. The plea argued that profit-oriented approaches have led to the implementation of laws and schemes during the country’s independence that gradually undermined its rich heritage and history

Source: Inputs from various media Sources