AIIA signs MoU with Safdarjung Hospital to establish integrative medicine unit

The All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) and Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital (VMMC and SJ Hospital) have signed an MoU to develop a unique centre of excellence model integrative health facility in the country for tertiary care. As per the agreement, both AIIA and VMMC and SJ Hospital will jointly work to treat patients using the best of both Ayurveda and modern medicine, AIIA said in a statement.

Under the agreement, the infrastructural space and other requisites to run the centre on a day-to-day basis will be provided by VMMC and SJ Hospital, whereas the technical support including manpower, technical infrastructure, and running of the centre will be managed by AIIA. The expert faculty and staff of both the signees will form a joint committee of integrated medicine to run and establish the model centre. The faculty and students of AIIA and VMMC and SJ Hospital will have access to the facilities of both institutes, subject to their respective rules and regulations with prior permissions as granted by authorities, the statement said.

It also mentioned that the MoU was signed last month at Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi. The event was graced by Dr Sunil Kumar, DGHS, whose efforts have been instrumental in making this collaboration a reality. The unit will be inaugurated by Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of AYUSH and Dr Munjapara Mahendrabhai, State Minister of AYUSH in the presence of Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, AYUSH and Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The focus areas for collaboration include therapeutic, holistic, preventive and promotive medical services through integrative medicine unit; lifestyle counselling, yoga, diet advice and stress management; IEC activities for creating awareness about integrated medicine unit for the general public; activities to paramedical staff, nurses, UGs, PGs; and faculty and projects to be taken up to include other areas such as applied research as mutually agreed upon involving faculty, research scholars and students from different departments/divisions of both the institutes, the statement added.

On the occasion, Dr Professor Tanuja Nesari, Director, AIIA, said, in the statement “…….. The facility will help strengthen the medical infrastructure and research, as well as increase affordability and accessibility of treatments. Within a short span of time, we will be able to establish the integrated facility in sync with the best medical practices from around the globe. This is also going to add enormous prospects for our future students aspiring to make their name in the field of medicine.”