In India, traditional medical practices are among the most trusted paths to healing, including practices such as Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, etc. While they can treat and prevent micronutrient deficiencies, their potential remains largely untapped in addressing Vitamin D deficiency. According to the ICRIER-ANVKA Foundation 2025 report titled, “Roadmap to Address Vitamin D Deficiency in India”, one in every five Indians is Vitamin D deficient. Among them, children, adolescents, pregnant women and the elderly are the most vulnerable. This deficiency is linked to health conditions such as rickets, osteoporosis, chronic fatigue and pre-eclampsia. Preventing the spread of this epidemic is now a priority for the government and traditional medical practices can play a key role in this.
This policy brief underscores the pivotal role of the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy (Ayush), in addressing Vitamin D deficiency through policy initiatives. These include building awareness and promoting heliotherapy, launching dietotherapy campaigns [including working with Indian Council of Medical Research – National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN) and Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on food fortifications and right diet], promoting the use of traditional medicines to improve the body’s natural healing abilities, collaborating with the FSSAI to relaunch “Project Dhoop” to encourage safe sun exposure across all population groups, training and capacity building of Ayush health workers to identify and address the deficiency, developing multi-stakeholder partnerships for twinning of traditional medicines with modern healthcare and encouraging research and development to produce formulations/reformulations of traditional medicines to address the deficiency.
By utilising the strengths of its own rich legacy and traditional medical practices, India can realise the goal of “Vitamin D Kuposhan Mukt Bharat” and lead the world in offering natural and sustainable health solutions to combat micronutrient deficiencies.
