By Editorial Desk
Traditional medicine systems are taking roots in Odisha in a systematic way. More doctors, community health camps and tele-consultation are widening access to Ayush care across rural and tribal areas. The 11th World Ayurveda Congress, to be held in Bhubaneswar during 10–13 December 2026, is expected to build further momentum for Ayush in the state.
Ayush healthcare in Odisha is taking a more visible place at the grassroots, with the state strengthening its network of practitioners, community outreach programmes, and digital consultation services. The expansion is particularly significant for rural and tribal communities, where access to specialised healthcare can often be challenging.
According to the Government of Odisha, 584 Ayurvedic Medical Officers, 525 Homoeopathic Medical Officers and two Unani Medical Officers have been appointed at government Ayush dispensaries across the state, including facilities serving rural and tribal populations.
The expansion is being supported by a combination of workforce development, community-based health programmes, and infrastructure under the National Ayush Mission (NAM). While public health remains primarily a state responsibility, NAM provides states with support for activities such as Information, Education and Communication (IEC), behaviour change communication (BCC), training and capacity building, integrated Ayush hospitals, and new dispensaries in areas where Ayush facilities are not available.
Building capacity at the grassroots
Odisha is investing not only in expanding its Ayush workforce but also in strengthening its capabilities. Induction training programmes are being conducted for newly appointed Ayurvedic and Homoeopathic Medical Officers and Ayush assistants. Refresher training is also being provided to government Ayurvedic and Homoeopathic Medical Officers working as Community Health Officers at 422 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (Ayush) across the state.
These centres represent an important shift towards a broader understanding of Ayush healthcare. Rather than focusing only on treatment, the Ayushman Arogya Mandirs follow a holistic wellness model encompassing preventive, promotive, curative, and rehabilitative care. Regular Yoga sessions, medicinal plant distribution, and health-day observances further extend their role as community wellness centres.
Taking Ayush to the community
Awareness and outreach form another important component of Odisha’s strategy. The state is conducting outreach health camps, integrated Ayush camps, geriatric health camps, and International Day of Yoga programmes to bring Ayush services and knowledge closer to communities.
Specialised screening initiatives are also being organised under Ayush public health programmes, including the National Programme for Prevention and Management of Osteoarthritis and other Musculoskeletal Disorders and VAYO MITRA – AYUSH Geriatric Healthcare Services.
Such initiatives are particularly relevant in rural areas, where community-level screening and early intervention can help connect people with appropriate care before health problems become more serious.
Digital access extends the Ayush network
Perhaps the most significant development for remote communities is the introduction of Tele-Ayush services in Odisha.
Implemented through the e-Sanjeevani platform, the initiative connects 50 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (Ayush) as spokes with two institutions functioning as hubs: Dr Abhin Chandra Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital, Bhubaneswar, and Gopabandhu Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya, Puri.
This hub-and-spoke model allows people accessing Ayushman Arogya Mandirs to benefit from remote consultations, potentially reducing the need to travel long distances to reach specialised Ayush institutions.
A model of integrated grassroots care
Odisha’s experience illustrates how the expansion of Ayush is increasingly moving beyond the traditional dispensary model. Doctors and dispensaries remain central, but they are being complemented by wellness centres, community camps, preventive health programmes, trained frontline personnel and digital consultation.
For rural and tribal communities, this combination can help make Ayush services more accessible while embedding prevention, wellness, and health awareness within primary healthcare delivery. The developments also point towards a broader evolution in Ayush delivery: from providing individual systems of medicine at standalone facilities to creating a connected community-based ecosystem of care.
Odisha Prepares for a Global Ayurveda Showcase
Odisha’s growing Ayush ecosystem is set to receive an international spotlight later this year when Bhubaneswar hosts the World Ayurveda Congress and Arogya Expo from 10 to 13 December 2026.
The event is expected to bring together more than 10,000 Ayurveda professionals from across the world, providing a major platform for discussion and deliberation on issues concerning the development, promotion, and global propagation of Ayurveda. Delegates from over 60 countries are expected to take part in this event.
The accompanying Arogya Expo, with more than 400 stalls, is expected to showcase the breadth of the Ayurveda ecosystem, bringing together product manufacturers, healthcare providers, regulators, academic and research institutions, and other stakeholders under one roof.
The scale of the event is also expected to extend well beyond the professional community. Based on the experience of previous Arogya Expos, the organisers anticipate more than five lakh visitors in Bhubaneswar, giving the people of Odisha an opportunity to experience the diversity of Ayurveda’s products, services, knowledge traditions and contemporary applications.
For the Government of Odisha, hosting the World Ayurveda Congress and Arogya Expo represents more than an opportunity to stage a major international event. It comes at a time when the state is expanding Ayush services at the grassroots through a growing workforce, Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, community health camps and Tele-Ayush services.
The convergence of these developments could give Odisha a distinctive position in the country’s Ayurveda landscape – combining grassroots healthcare delivery with a global platform for Ayurveda’s future. By hosting the World Ayurveda Congress and Arogya Expo, the state is also signalling its ambition to promote Ayurveda on a much larger scale and establish Bhubaneswar as an important destination for the Ayurveda community in India and beyond.
