NABH for Ayurveda Hospitals and Panchakarma Centres: The Complete 2026 Guide

Four routes for Ayurveda facilities

Fees as listed on nabh.co; NABH revised Ayush annual fees in December 2025 and entry-level Ayush fees in March 2026, so confirm current amounts.

The standards: old editions and the new 1st Edition

NABH's AYUSH hospital programme, run since 2009 with the Ministry of Ayush, used separate standards for each system — for Ayurveda the 2nd Edition of April 2016. NABH has now released new Accreditation Standards for Ayush Hospitals (1st Edition), one set for Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Homoeopathy and Sowa-Rigpa. Its implementation plan of 27 May 2026 (NABH/AYUSH/2026/05377) says:

• new applications from 1 August 2026 are assessed against the new standards;
• applications with the fee paid by 31 July 2026, and renewals applied by then, could choose the old or the new standards;
• no fresh or renewal applications are accepted on the old standards after 31 July 2026;
• accreditation is valid for four years.

What this means for you: if you are applying now, your documentation should be written to the new 1st Edition. Day-care and OPD centres follow the separate Ayush Treatment and Wellness Centres standards, explained in our ATWC guide. Details for every route are on our AYUSH hospital page.

Why accreditation matters commercially: insurance

The Ministry of Ayush consumer guide on AYUSH insurance, published by the All India Institute of Ayurveda, summarises IRDAI's rules:

• AYUSH in-patient treatment is covered when taken at a government AYUSH hospital or an institution accredited by QCI or NABH.
• For insurance purposes, a standalone AYUSH hospital must have at least 5 in-patient beds, a qualified AYUSH practitioner in charge round the clock, dedicated AYUSH therapy sections and daily patient records accessible to the insurer.
• An AYUSH day-care centre needs a qualified practitioner in charge, dedicated therapy sections and accessible daily records.

Notice that NABH's entry-level AYUSH hospital criteria mirror the insurer definition. That is why certification so often unlocks cashless tie-ups — see TPA and insurance empanelment.

What NABH assessors look for in an Ayurveda facility

Clinical care

• Written protocols for each therapy offered — Snehana, Swedana, Vamana, Virechana, Basti, Nasya, Raktamokshana, Shirodhara, Kshara Sutra — with indications, contraindications, monitoring and post-procedure care
• Initial assessment combining Ayurvedic diagnosis (Prakriti, Roga-Rogi Pariksha) with vital signs and relevant modern investigations
• Daily progress notes, therapy records and discharge summaries

Patient rights

• Therapy-specific informed consent in the patient's language, with risks stated
• Privacy and gender-appropriate therapists for procedures
• Clear estimates and a complaints process

Medicines and pharmacy

• Procurement from licensed manufacturers, batch and expiry tracking
• Storage conditions and segregation of expired stock
• Records of in-house preparations of oils and formulations

Infection prevention

• Cleaning of droni, steam chambers, Basti and Nasya equipment
• Oil and linen handling, hand hygiene, biomedical waste segregation

Safety

• Crash cart and staff trained in basic life support
• Referral tie-up with an allopathic hospital for emergencies
• Fire safety, licences and biomedical waste authorisation in date

People and quality

• Qualifications and training records of practitioners and therapists
• Quality indicators — therapy-related adverse events, patient satisfaction, re-admissions — reviewed and acted upon

A 6-month preparation plan for a 15-bed Ayurveda hospital

Where Ayurveda applications usually stumble

• Therapy protocols copied from textbooks rather than reflecting what the hospital actually does
• Consent forms that are generic rather than therapy-specific
• In-house medicine preparation without batch records
• No allopathic referral arrangement or emergency drill record
• Expired licences — especially biomedical waste and fire

AYUSH accreditation is one of our core specialities. Talk to us about your hospital, clinic or Panchakarma centre.