title: Capacity building of AYUSH practitioners to study the feasibility of their involvement in non-communicable disease prevention and control.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sharing of public health knowledge and skills by professionals in allopathic system of medicine with Ayurveda, Yoga, and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) professionals in India has always been considered as part of integrating the health system in India. But till date, a curriculum has not been framed for follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  A training course was developed for AYUSH professionals in India on the public health principles for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Three course chairs interacted with international and national public health and AYUSH experts, and the curriculum for a 3-month course was developed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The curriculum comprised interactive lectures, problem-based exercise, field visits, and research protocol development. A total of four participants, nominated by the World Health Organization, India, were trained during the course, with significant (P = 0.00) improvement in knowledge from 53.2 to 80.0 points.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A novel and feasible public health course for complementary and alternative medicine professionals on the public health principles for NCDs' prevention and control is needed to bridge the demand gap for public health professionals in India.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Dr. R. P. Government Medical College, Tanda, Himachal Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Dinesh
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Sunil Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Raina
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Bhardwaj
authors.forename: Vishav
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chander
keywords: AYUSH course; non-communicable disease; public health