Srinagar: Amid a slew of measures to promote Ayurveda, the J&K government has upgraded 370 Ayush dispensaries to Ayush Health and Wellness centres (AHWC) while another 125 centers will be upgraded by the end of the current financial year.

The upgradation of these dispensary centers to H&WCs will enable people, especially in rural areas, to undergo common diagnostic tests for Blood Sugar, Pregnancy, HIV, Haemoglobin, Hepatitis, Syphilis, Malaria, Dengue etc in their vicinities and they need not to travel to district headquarters.

The Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha is likely to inaugurate these centres, once completed, virtually, according to the sources.

“We have received a funding of Rs 1631.696 lakh last week which is at the disposal of my office. As many as 317 Ayush dispensaries have been upgraded as Ayush Health and Wellness Centers. Now another 125 dispensaries will be upgraded by the end of this Financial year which is on our priority list. Apart from that the completion of 50-bedded Ayush hospitals at Kulgam, Kupwara and Kathua, where the work is ongoing, is too on the priority,” Director Ayush J&K Dr Mohan Singh told Rising Kashmir.

He said all Ayush Dispensaries will be upgraded to Ayush H&WCs in a phased manner by 2023-24.

The Health and Wellness centres are spread across all the 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir.

Moreover, according to the Director Ayush, the government is also focusing on promoting Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Yoga, Unani and Siddha practices from Ayush Health and Wellness Centers.

“Yoga Asasans are being promoted among the general public through trained Yoga Instructors to cure lifestyle and anxiety disorders,” said Dr Singh.

Furthermore, the Directorate of Ayush has directed all its district heads to set up herbal gardens in these Ayush H&WCS that “shall not only serve to demonstrate Medicinal Plants used for home remedies but also promote the cultivation of locally grown herbs among farmers/growers”.