BY YOJNA GUSAI NEW DELHI Perturbed over repeated complaints of higher metal contents in ayurvedic and unani products by health regulatory agencies of countries like the UK, US, Canada and Singapore, the Union health ministry is now working on bringing out a national policy on the issue. Health ministry is working with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to formulate good manufacturing practise (GMP) regulations for country's more than nine thousand units involved in manufacturing ayurvedic and unani medicines. Though India annually exports around Rs 100 crores of ayurvedic and unani products to countries like US, UK and West Asian countries, Indian authorities have to face complaints of these products not meeting international standards. Once the national policy is put into action, these manufacturing units will also be given certificates from WHO and health ministry, certifying that these products meet international standards which will boost the demand of Indian ayurvedic and unani products. More trained manpower in the sector along with more officials checking implementation of these GMP regulations, will also be addressed through the national policy. A senior official in the ministry said India is losing to neighbouring country China, whose export is much higher than India, despite our country having more medicinal and herbal plants. Despite guiding norms for ayurvedic products, most of the manufacturing units to not adhere to these. There is a huge demand of Indian ayurvedic food supplements in countries like US, UK and West Asia, which has generated manpower and employment opportunities in rural and hilly regions of the country. "One of the major reasons of these products containing higher metal content is because the land where these plants are grown is near some effluent or pesticides are used. The national policy will also stress on issues like good agricultural practises to boost this sector,' said the senior official. Awareness campaigns for both manufacturing units and farmers growing these medicinal plants and herbs will be organised.