Karnataka State Organizes 'AYUSH Utsav - 2014'

A State-level Ayush practitioners convention- 'AYUSH Utsav 2014' will be held at Nehru Maidan in Mangalore on November 22 and 23, said Karnataka Ayurveda and Unani Practitioners (KAUP) Board President Dr Sathyamoorthy Bhat. 

He said that this is for the first time that the practitioners of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy are brought together under one platform. The programme will be organized jointly by the department of Ayush, KAUP Board, Karnataka Homeopathy Board, National Integrated Medical Association, Karnataka Govt Ayush Medical officers Association (KGAMOA) and Karnataka chapter of Ayush Federation of India (AFI). 

The themes to be discussed at the meet are 'Role of Ayush practitioners in rural health care,' 'Rural health challenges in India,' 'Approach to a patient in general practice' and 'Problems faced by Ayush practitioners in rural practice.'

The Ayush practitioners should be brought to mainstream by involving their service in the primary health care system. "If Ayush doctors are recruited at PHCs, then the health care facilities will reach out every nook and corner of the villages. In fact, Ayush practitioners are playing a vital role in the implementation of National Rural Health Mission," he said. 

The two-day convention will have 'AyushStat expo' which will be attended by over 250 Ayush pharmaceuticals. It will also have an exhibition on equipment and free health camps. The KAUPB will also have demonstration on online registration for the biometric. 

Biometric registration 

The Karnataka Ayurveda and Unani Practitioners Board (KAUPB) has made it compulsory for all practitioners to have a biometric identity card. 

Quacks or fake doctors claim to be Ayurvedic or Unani doctors. But with the biometric ID card, the system of fake doctors can be checked. Those who practice Ayurveda and Unani should upload their documents including registration number, marks card to the Board. 

Once uploaded, they will get an appointment from the Board to get the ID card. On the day of the appointment, they have to visit Board in Bangalore to get their fingerprints and other details to get smart card, Dr Bhat explained. 

He said "once the Board gets the documents, we send it to universities for the verification of marks cards. The biometric ID cards have 10 security features. The deadline for uploading the documents is December 31, 2014. 

"In fact, around 3,000 to 4,000 practitioners have already received the biometric cards. The Board is clearing about 1,500 applications every month." 

"Earlier, the KAUPB had issued certificates with photographs affixed on it. However, we noticed that misuse was rampant with the system. The certificate was misused after the death of the registered doctor," he said.