The Ministry of Ayush released Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs) titled “Management of Dermatological Disorders for Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy” on 13 October 2026. The guidelines were prepared by the Ayush Vertical of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Their public release coincided with the 11th Ayurveda Day.
Scope of the Guidelines
The guidelines provide practical recommendations for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, follow-up and rehabilitation of skin disorders. They cover psoriasis, vitiligo, dermatitis, urticaria and dermatophytosis, a group of fungal skin infections. Yoga is also included in the guidance for managing skin disorders. The guidelines are intended to support more uniform clinical practice, quality assurance and evidence-informed care across the four Ayush systems. They retain the fundamental principles of each system while providing clinical protocols. Preparation involved interdisciplinary work and field-level validation of protocols in clinical settings.
Ayush Systems and Skin Disorders
Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy are the four systems named in the guidelines. Ayurveda and Siddha are traditional systems of medicine originating in the Indian subcontinent. Unani medicine draws on the Greco-Arabic medical tradition, while Homoeopathy is a distinct system of medicine. Yoga is included in the guidelines as an approach for managing skin disorders. Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease, while vitiligo causes patches of skin to lose pigmentation. Dermatitis refers to inflammation of the skin, and urticaria is characterised by raised, itchy wheals. Dermatophytosis is caused by dermatophyte fungi that infect skin and related tissues.
Clinical Guidelines and Validation
The protocols address multiple stages of clinical care, from prevention and diagnosis to treatment, follow-up and rehabilitation. Field-level validation was included to assess the protocols in actual clinical settings. The guidelines were issued to support standardisation and quality assurance across the covered systems.
Important Facts for Exams
- The Ministry of Ayush released the guidelines on 13 October 2026, coinciding with the 11th Ayurveda Day.
- The Ayush Vertical of the Directorate General of Health Services prepared the guidelines.
- The guidelines cover psoriasis, vitiligo, dermatitis, urticaria and dermatophytosis.
- The guidelines include Yoga and address prevention, diagnosis, treatment, follow-up and rehabilitation.
The guidelines cover Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy, with Yoga also included in their management recommendations. Their protocols underwent field-level validation in clinical settings.
