The director of AYUSH Department, Haryana Satpal Bahmani on Friday said that the department has distributed Ayush kits containing immunity booster medicines to about 15 lakh frontline warriors and persons in home quarantine, covid centres and government hospitals for the prevention and treatment of mild to moderate Covid-19 cases based on alternative therapies.
“The central Government has released an ayurveda protocol with states that Ayush practitioners can prescribe immunity booster medicines to their patients to help them manage Covid-19 symptoms,” he added.
Talking to ‘The pioneer’ over the phone, Bahmani said that the Union health and science ministry has recently released Ayush (ayurveda yoga and naturopathy unani siddha and homoeopathy)-based clinical management protocol to treat coronavirus disease (Covid-19) patients. “We have been receiving these Ayurvedic immunity boosters from the Ministry and distributing it among patients in all the districts of the State.
In regards to distribution of AYUSH kits, special focus has been laid in NCR districts including Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonepat and the areas which have been declared as containment zones in Rohtak, Panchkula, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Ambala and remaining parts of the State. The kits are also given to senior citizens, persons with comorbidities and children to boost their immunity, he added.
When contacted Haryana State AYUSH coordinator (Covid-19) Dr Nasir said that experience from Covid-19 response activities as reported from different parts of the country have shown that ayurveda and yoga can play a pivotal role to augment the standard preventive measures for Covid-19.
The National Clinical Management Protocol, released by the Union health ministry and the Ayush Ministry, is aimed at bringing uniformity in the Covid-19 management through traditional methods. “As per the instruction of the senior officers, a team of four medical officials go door to door on daily basis and distribute medicines to those persons living in containment zone or have isolated themselves at their home or enroll in covid centres besides frontline Covid-19 warriors including police, health workers and others working emergency duty during ongoing Covid-19 pandemic,” he added.
Dr Nasir further said that it is paramount to wear masks, wash hands, maintain physical distance, and avoid situations that may put them at risk of getting infected or infecting others. The medical officials are also creating awareness among the people regarding the covid-19 management, he added.
Ramesh Mittal, who runs an ayurvedic products store in Panchkula, said, “Since March, the demand for honey has gone up 45 per cent, chyawanprash by 85 per cent and turmeric by 40 per cent in ayurvedic stores. The interest in these products has mostly been fuelled by the recommendations from the ministry of ayush to fight the coronavirus. It appealed to the people to include spices like turmeric and coriander in their cooking and to have chyawanprash. Following this, the demand for ayurvedic products with health care benefits has gone up.
“Immunity building products are in greater demand. All the products, coming in the wellness and immunity section, have witnessed considerable increase in demand, he added.
Another shopkeeper said that in his speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also recommended use of ayurveda to boost immunity. Ayush products, being non-chemical and organic, have more immunity boosting and healing capacity. They have seen an increase in demand for Ayurvedic products across their portfolio.
It was witnessing a strong growth in enquiries for key products, especially the immunity booster range including Chyawanprash, Honey, Giloy tablets, Giloy Churna, Ashwagandha capsules.
A Panchkula based ayurveda doctor said that the Covid-19 pandemic has increased the demand for immunity boosters under ayurveda and homoeopathy at different Covid-dedicated facilities. These medicines came with the added advantage of not having any non-organic compounds thereby reducing the risk of side effects. Ayush products, being non-chemical and organic, have more immunity boosting and healing capacity. “That’s why, we are serving the kadha (decoction) to the Covid-19 patients in all our L-1 facilities (for mild cases). This brewed drink is made of pure herbs like giloy, guduchi, tulsi, amalaki, ashvagandha, and others. These medicines came with the added advantage of not having any non-organic compounds thereby reducing the risk of side effects,” he added.
He said that the Interdisciplinary Ayush research and development task force suggests remedies to manage Covid-19 symptoms like sore throat, fatigue, breathlessness, hypoxia, fever, headache, etc. Some of the herbs and mixtures recommended in the protocol are ashwagandha, chyawanprash, nagaradi kashaya, sitopaladi churna, vyoshadi vati, etc. The items in the kit have natural ingredients like basil, cinnamon, dry ginger and pepper. People can also prepare the ‘kadha’ (herbal tea), which is a proven immunity booster.