Prime Minister Narendra Modi has lauded the National Clinical Management Protocol based on Ayurvada on Yoga, calling it “commendable”.
“Commendable effort, which places emphasis on building immunity, remaining healthy and making the fight against COVID-19 stronger,” he tweeted.
Amid rising COVID-19 cases, Ayurveda and Yoga are being tried for immunity purposes.
The National Clinical Management Protocol based was released jointly by Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and Ayush Ministry Shripad Naik on Tuesday, virtually.
Earlier, Harsh Vardhan said that experts and other national research organisations have prepared the Protocol for management of Covid-19 as per the Report & Recommendations of the Interdisciplinary Committee which will further strengthen our fight against Covid-19.
Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday launched the Ayush Standard Treatment Protocol.
The Union Health Minister launched the protocols at an event held via video conferencing today and hailed the up-gradation of protocols by the AYUSH Ministry, which has been done in sync with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
“The modern systems of medicine have their own strengths, they have made available operations and medicines which have made people’s lives better. But Ayurveda is an ancient science of our country, and probably the oldest knowledge base. Many say it”s an offshoot of the Atharva Veda,” the Minister said.
“The knowledge needs to be presented to the world and rejuvenated using scientific methods. Even during the COVID-19 phase, I get many inquiries for more kadhas (concoctions) and herbs which boost immunity. This proves it is still relevant in today’s day and age,” he added.
The Union Health Minister thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for rejuvenating the science of Ayurveda and other traditional healing practices in the country.
He also said that preparations are also underway to form a national commission for Yoga and Naturopathy.
Naik said AYUSH Ministry had set up an Interdisciplinary AYUSH Research and Development Task Force with a group of senior experts to formulate and develop strategies for this initiative.
He said that the Ministry of AYUSH has undertaken many clinical, observational studies to understand the role of AYUSH intervention in mitigation and management of Covid-19.
This brings in uniformity and consistency in the Ayush-based responses to the pandemic across the country. It also helps State and UT governments to plan and incorporate these solutions into the Covid-19 management activities being deployed on the ground.
India on Tuesday reported 61,267 fresh infections of the novel coronavirus, taking the case tally to 66,85,082, health officials said. This is the lowest daily spike since August.
Though the cases are increasing, the recovery rate is 84.34 per cent in India which is less than Chile that has over 92 per cent cure rate, while the US that tops the Covid-19 cases in the world has around 33 per cent recovery rate.
The fatality rate has come down to 1.55 per cent, the data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.
Ayurvedic Practitioners will now be in a position to administer medicines to asymptomatic patients and those mild symptoms of COVID-19 In India. The new clinical management protocol both for prophylaxis and management of the virus has been released by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Ayush.
Based on the premise that good immunity is the key to keeping coronavirus at bay, the Government of India has released a detailed protocol on building immunity using the traditional system of medicine. A consensus document has been developed by expert committees from AII India Institute of Ayurveda, Institute of Post Graduate Training and Research in Ayurveda and National Institute of Ayurveda Central Council for Research in Ayurveda, Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy and other national research organisations. This protocol is for management of mild COVID-19.
What The Consensus Document Says
Follow physical distancing and respiratory and hand hygiene, wear masks, gargle with warm water added with a pinch of turmeric and salt, the guidelinws say.
The document stresses on the use of triphala or yashtimadhu for gargling. Medicated oil, cow ghee or coconut oil, it says, can be used for nasal instillation. Steam inhalation using ajwain or eucalyptus oil, moderate physical activity, sleep of upto six hours and yoga for primary prevention and then post Covid management have are among the guidelines mentioned in the document. “Drink warm water with boiled herbs like ginger, coriander basil and cumin. Drink turmeric milk and Ayush Kadha or Kwath,” the guidelines say.
For Prevention
Ashwagandha has been advised by the government for preventing the infection.
For Managing the Infection
In asymptomatic COVID-19 cases, “Guduchi Ghana Vati, Samshamani Vati or Giloy Vati having aqueous extract of Tinospora Cordifolia IP or the powder of Tinospora” can be used. Guduchi and Pippali have shown to have an improved recovery rate, says the government. Ayush 64 can also be used for mild cases of COVID-19. These medicines are to be prescribed by a registered Ayurvedic doctor says, the guidelines say.
Union Health Minister Dr Harshvardhan had previously informed the Parliament about an “Inter-disciplinary AYUSH R&D Task Force” that was formulated and designed clinical research protocols for AYUSH prophylactic studies and add-on interventions in COVID-19 positive cases. The minister informed the House that AYUSH-CSIR collaborative studies were initiated with AYUSH medicines for prophylaxis/treatment and that a large scale population-based study through AYUSH Research Councils and National Institutes under the Ministry on prophylaxis of AYUSH interventions in targeted populations in containment zones was underway.
