Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Sunday, October 11, defended the Ayurveda-based interventions in the prevention and treatment of coronavirus. He also hailed its efficacy in boosting immunity.

Following a query posed to the minister during Sunday Samvaad, a weekly webinar which Dr Vardhan hosts every Sunday with his social media audience, he went on to back the role of Ayurvedic drugs. The query in question was related to how Ayurvedic immunity boosters for COVID-19 treatment is allegedly not fully established yet.

‘Ayurveda has a holistic approach towards disease management wherein salutogenesis is a major approach towards treatment of a disease condition and its prevention,’ he said.

The minister added that Ayurveda interventions are prescribed after in-depth study of literature, scientific studies, including, in silico studies, experimental studies, and clinical studies.

Harsh Vardhan said that public advisories about the use of time-tested and evidence-based natural Ayush remedies for health promotion and immunity modulation of the people during the COVID-19 pandemic were conceptualised and promoted by the health ministry.

‘Besides, Guduchi, Ashwagandha, Guduchi and Pippali combination and AYUSH-64 have a substantial number of studies which prove their immuno-modulatory, anti-viral, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory properties. These interventions have also shown a good binding affinity with COVID-19 virus in in-silico studies,’ Vardhan said.

The minister added that scientific studies have also been initiated with the remedies to assess their impact in the prophylaxis, secondary prevention and management of COVID-afflicted cases, on the recommendations of the interdisciplinary task force set up by the government.

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