Ministry of Ayush Issues Standard Treatment Guidelines for Skin Disorders Across Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy

The Ministry of Ayush has released comprehensive Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs) for the management of dermatological disorders across Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy, with the inclusion of Yoga. The guidelines aim to improve the consistency, quality and safety of traditional healthcare practices while encouraging the use of contemporary scientific evidence in clinical decision-making.

Announced on October 13, 2026, the guidelines cover common skin conditions, including psoriasis, vitiligo, dermatitis, urticaria and dermatophytosis. They provide system-specific recommendations for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, follow-up and rehabilitation.

The Ayush Vertical of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, prepared the guidelines through consultations involving traditional medicine specialists, researchers and modern medical professionals.

Standardising Dermatological Care Across Ayush Systems

Skin disorders represent a significant healthcare concern because many conditions require prolonged treatment, regular monitoring and careful management of recurring symptoms. Chronic inflammatory diseases such as psoriasis and dermatitis can affect daily activities and quality of life, while conditions such as vitiligo may also create considerable psychological and social challenges.

The new guidelines seek to establish a more structured approach to managing these conditions within the respective Ayush systems. Rather than introducing a single treatment model, they preserve the individual diagnostic principles and therapeutic approaches of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy.

Each set of guidelines outlines recommendations for clinical assessment, treatment planning, patient monitoring and follow-up care. This approach is intended to reduce variations in clinical practice and support more consistent healthcare delivery.

The guidelines also incorporate Yoga as a supportive component of holistic healthcare, recognising the role of appropriate lifestyle practices in general well-being and patient care.

Five Major Categories of Skin Disorders Covered

The guidelines address several dermatological conditions commonly encountered in clinical practice.

Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory condition characterised by thickened, scaly patches of skin. Patients frequently experience itching, discomfort and recurring flare-ups. The condition requires individualised management and long-term monitoring.

Vitiligo causes the loss of pigmentation in affected areas of the skin, producing patches that appear lighter than the surrounding skin. Although vitiligo is not contagious, its visible manifestations can affect emotional well-being and social confidence.

Dermatitis refers to inflammatory skin conditions that may produce redness, itching, irritation and dryness. The category includes several disorders with different causes, making accurate diagnosis important for selecting appropriate treatment.

Urticaria, commonly known as hives, produces raised, itchy skin lesions that may appear suddenly and disappear within hours. Some patients experience recurrent episodes requiring further clinical evaluation.

Dermatophytosis is a fungal infection affecting the skin, hair or nails. Commonly known as ringworm when it affects the skin, the infection requires accurate identification and appropriate antifungal treatment to prevent persistence and transmission.

By addressing these conditions within separate system-specific frameworks, the Ministry aims to provide practitioners with clearer clinical guidance while strengthening patient assessment and follow-up procedures.

Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy Receive Separate Clinical Guidelines

An important feature of the initiative is the publication of four distinct guideline documents.

The Ayurveda guidelines organise dermatological management within the traditional Ayurvedic framework while incorporating assessments of contemporary clinical evidence. They aim to support practitioners in making structured decisions concerning diagnosis, treatment and follow-up.

The Siddha guidelines similarly retain the fundamental principles of Siddha medicine while establishing a more consistent framework for dermatological assessment and clinical management.

For Unani practitioners, the guidelines provide recommendations based on the system’s established clinical principles, supplemented by reviews of available research and expert consultations.

The Homoeopathy guidelines present a separate framework for clinical assessment and management within homoeopathic practice.

The inclusion of contemporary scientific evidence does not mean that every traditional intervention has demonstrated clinical effectiveness to the same standard. Evidence varies between treatments, and the guidelines should be interpreted alongside established medical standards, patient safety requirements and the need for appropriate specialist referral.

Expert Consultations Combine Classical Medical Knowledge with Scientific Research

The guidelines emerged from an interdisciplinary development process involving several institutions and medical specialities.

Experts from the Ayush Research Councils worked alongside senior academic specialists representing Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy. Yoga professionals and specialists in modern medicine also participated in the consultations.

The development process included a review of classical medical literature, an assessment of available contemporary scientific research and expert deliberations to formulate clinical recommendations.

This combination of traditional knowledge and scientific evaluation reflects the Ministry’s effort to introduce greater transparency and consistency into Ayush clinical practice.

The guidelines also provide a reference framework for future clinical research, allowing investigators to examine treatment approaches against more clearly defined diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Clinical Protocols Tested in Primary and Secondary Healthcare Settings

Before finalisation, the Ministry undertook field-level validation to assess the practical usability of the proposed guidelines.

The Ayush Vertical collaborated with the Directorate of Ayush, Government of NCT of Delhi, to evaluate the protocols through medical officers working in primary and secondary healthcare facilities.

Participating officers examined how the recommendations could be applied in routine clinical settings and provided feedback on their operational usefulness.

The development team subsequently incorporated this feedback into the final documents.

This exercise helped ensure that the guidelines addressed practical considerations encountered by healthcare professionals, including clinical assessment, treatment planning and patient follow-up.

However, field-level validation of usability should be distinguished from clinical trials establishing treatment effectiveness. The exercise assessed practical implementation rather than demonstrating that every recommended intervention produces a particular clinical outcome.

Guidelines to Strengthen Ayush Integration with National Healthcare

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ayush Prataprao Jadhav described the initiative as an important contribution to integrating traditional medical systems with India’s broader healthcare framework.

He emphasised that the guidelines combine system-specific clinical approaches with contemporary scientific evidence to encourage safer, more consistent and patient-centred care.

Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary of the Ministry of Ayush, highlighted the importance of standardisation and rational clinical decision-making.

According to the Secretary, the guidelines provide practical recommendations covering prevention, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up while preserving the fundamental principles of individual Ayush systems.

Director General of Health Services Dr. Loveneesh G. Krishna also emphasised the role of multidisciplinary collaboration in improving healthcare quality and establishing greater uniformity across clinical services.

Together, these observations underline the government’s emphasis on developing structured clinical protocols that can support healthcare professionals, educators and researchers.

New Reference Framework for Medical Education and Research

Beyond routine clinical practice, the guidelines are expected to contribute to professional education, capacity building and research.

Ayush educational institutions can use the documents as reference material for teaching structured approaches to dermatological assessment and patient management.

For researchers, standardised clinical procedures can improve the consistency of study designs, clinical documentation and outcome assessment.

The guidelines may also support healthcare administrators in developing training programmes and evaluating the implementation of clinical protocols.

Their availability across four medical systems creates opportunities for interdisciplinary research, particularly in areas involving disease classification, patient monitoring, treatment safety and supportive healthcare practices.

Strengthening Quality Assurance and Patient Safety

The release of these guidelines marks another step in India’s efforts to improve quality assurance within traditional healthcare.

Standardised recommendations can help practitioners document clinical findings, identify treatment priorities and establish appropriate follow-up procedures. They can also encourage greater attention to patient safety and the limitations of individual treatment approaches.

Accurate diagnosis remains particularly important in dermatology because skin changes can arise from infections, inflammatory disorders, autoimmune conditions and underlying systemic diseases.

Patients with severe or spreading infections, suspicious skin lesions, extensive inflammation or persistent symptoms require timely evaluation by appropriately qualified medical professionals. Traditional or complementary approaches should not delay proven treatments, particularly for infectious conditions.

By encouraging structured clinical assessment and evidence-informed decision-making, the Ministry aims to make Ayush healthcare more consistent and accountable.

A Step Towards More Structured Traditional Healthcare in India

The guidelines were made public on the occasion of the 11th Ayurveda Day, highlighting the government’s continuing efforts to strengthen traditional healthcare through clinical standardisation, professional collaboration and research.

Their significance extends beyond dermatology. The development process demonstrates how traditional medical knowledge can be organised into formal clinical guidance while incorporating contemporary scientific evaluation and feedback from healthcare professionals.

As medical institutions adopt these reference documents, systematic implementation, safety monitoring and further clinical research will remain important to evaluating their effectiveness.

The Ministry of Ayush’s initiative provides a foundation for improving professional training, supporting research and strengthening the responsible integration of traditional healthcare systems into India’s national health services.

---

References

1. Press Information Bureau, Government of India
Ministry of Ayush — Ayush Ministry Releases Treatment Guidelines for Skin Disorders Across Four Traditional Systems
Published: October 13, 2026
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=2322793

2. Ministry of Ayush — Ayurveda
Standard Treatment Guidelines on Management of Dermatological Disorders
https://www.ayush.gov.in/assets/pdf/whatsnew/STG_Dermatological_Disorders_Ayurveda.pdf

3. Ministry of Ayush — Siddha
Standard Treatment Guidelines on Management of Dermatological Disorders
https://www.ayush.gov.in/assets/pdf/whatsnew/STG_Dermatological_Disorders_Siddha.pdf

4. Ministry of Ayush — Unani
Standard Treatment Guidelines on Management of Dermatological Disorders
https://www.ayush.gov.in/assets/pdf/whatsnew/STG_Dermatological_Disorders_Unani.pdf

5. Ministry of Ayush — Homoeopathy
Standard Treatment Guidelines on Management of Dermatological Disorders
https://www.ayush.gov.in/assets/pdf/whatsnew/STG_Dermatological_Disorders_Homoeopathy.pdf

---