VIJAYAWADA: In a major boost to traditional and alternative medicine, the Union Ministry of AYUSH has approved Andhra Pradesh’s State Annual Action Plan (SAAP) for 2026–27 with a record allocation of Rs 185.75 crore.
Initiated under the leadership of Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadhav, this marks the highest single-year sanction for the state since the inception of the National AYUSH Mission (NAM) in 2014.
The approval reflects a significant surge in central support, bringing total NAM approvals under the current coalition administration to Rs 434.64 crore over the 2024–27 period, which is more than four times that of Rs 120.17 crore allocated during the entire decade from 2014 to 2024.
A major highlight of the newly approved action plan is a dedicated push toward rural and tribal healthcare, featuring Rs 1.26 crore allocated to deploy 19 Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) across nine Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) regions, including Rampachodavaram, Chintoor, Parvathipuram, and Paderu.
The plan also focuses on expanding infrastructure and digital integration, including Rs 50 lakh to digitise and connect 601 AYUSH dispensaries, Rs 62.80 lakh for laptops for 157 medical officers, Rs 22.16 crore for free drug distribution across 712 dispensaries and hospitals, and Rs 12.80 crore to modernise 64 government and panchayat dispensaries at Rs 20 lakh each.
Additionally, Rs 5.75 crore has been sanctioned for 126 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs to support yoga instructors, community health officers, and diagnostic services.
The 2026–27 plan introduces several specialised initiatives across the state, including an AYUSH Sports Medicine Centre of Excellence in Kadapa to aid athlete recovery through natural therapies, alcohol de-addiction centres in four teaching hospitals, and speciality Panchakarma and Yoga units for chronic ailments such as paralysis and joint pain.
In Vijayawada, Dr. AL Government Ayurvedic Hospital will launch a dedicated Akshi Tarpana unit for eye care and dry-eye relief caused by screen strain, alongside a Herbal Kwatha Therapy Unit to supply fresh herbal decoctions for immunity and respiratory health.
To address workplace stress and lifestyle disorders, specialised Yoga Wellness Centres are being established at the State Secretariat, in four major prisons, and as a dedicated AYUSH Clinic on the High Court premises.
Higher education and specialised wellness hubs are also receiving major upgrades under the scheme, with Rs 38.84 crore earmarked to strengthen academic institutions, including a 100-bed hospital and Government Naturopathy and Yoga College at VIMS Visakhapatnam, alongside facilities in Kakinada, Dharmavaram, and Proddatur.
Furthermore, Rs 5.28 crore has been approved for 58 Speciality Wellness Centres across the state.