The Gujarat government has announced plans to organise over 8,000 Ayurvedic health camps and medical workshops across the state in the coming year. The initiative will emphasize women’s and children’s health, geriatric care, and lifestyle-related diseases.
Undertaken under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Health Minister Rushikesh Patel, the program will be carried out through the state’s AYUSH division. The announcement coincides with a “triveni sangam” of health initiatives — Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar (Healthy Women, Empowered Families), National Nutrition Month, and National Ayurveda Day.
National Ayurveda Day, observed annually on September 23, marks the autumnal equinox, when day and night are nearly equal, symbolizing the Ayurvedic principle of balance between mind, body, and senses. The Ministry of AYUSH, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, uses this occasion to highlight the holistic benefits of Ayurveda.
As part of the Centre’s broader health campaigns, the “Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar” initiative is being celebrated from September 17 (PM Modi’s birthday) to October 2 (Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti), with a focus on maternal and child nutrition. In parallel, National Nutrition Month draws attention to the health needs of pregnant women, lactating mothers, adolescent girls, and children under six.
Gujarat’s AYUSH division is also rolling out activities such as Ayurvedic dietary guidance and Suvarna Prashan (a gold-based immunity booster for children). Events at AYUSH clinics, Ayushman Aarogya Mandirs, Ayurvedic hospitals, and colleges will feature Suvarna Prashan, exhibitions on medicinal plants, awareness on kitchen herbs, Panchakarma demonstrations, homeopathic consultations, and “Ayurveda on Wheels” — mobile vans staffed with Ayurvedic doctors. Sessions on obesity management and stress control will also form part of the outreach.
India first marked National Ayurveda Day in 2016 with the theme “Prevention and Control of Diabetes through Ayurveda.” This year’s 10th edition is celebrated under the theme “Ayurveda for People and Planet,” underscoring Ayurveda’s role in addressing lifestyle disorders, climate-related health challenges, and stress management.