Lok Sabha Question No. 2135 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-23
Subject: AYUSH Treatment for COVID-19
Ministry: AYURVEDA,YOGA & NATUROPATHY,UNANI,SIDDHA AND HOMEOPATHY (AYUSH)
Asked by: Rajan Baburao  Vichare, P.P. Chaudhary

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AYURVEDA, YOGA & NATUROPATHY, UNANI, SIDDHA AND HOMOEOPATHY (AYUSH)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2135 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23 RD SEPTEMBER, 2020

## AYUSH TREATMENT FOR COVID - 19

## 2135. SHRI RAJAN VICHARE: SHRI P.P. CHAUDHARY:

Will  the  Minister  of AYURVEDA,  YOGA  AND NATUROPATHY,  UNANI, SIDDHA AND HOMOEOPATHY (AYUSH) be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  any  concrete  measures/medicines  of AYUSH  have  helped  in  finding  cure  for COVID - 19 andif so, the details thereof;
- (b)whether any steps were taken by the Government for the well - being of public during the COVID - 19 crisis and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether any guidelines were issued to general public about use Ayurvedic/Unani/Homoeopathic systems as precautionary steps to fight COVID - 19, if so, the details thereof; and

of

- (d) whether any research was conducted by the Government to find cure using Ayurvedic/ Unani/Homoeopathic treatment for COVID - 19, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF HE ALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

- ( a) : Ministry of AYUSH has issued an advisory on 29.01.2020 on how to protect onesel from COVID and how to stay healthy. Ministry has also written a letter dated 06.03.20 all  Chief  Secretaries  of  States  / Union  territories  with  more  specific  suggestions  on augmentation  of  General  Immunity  of  people  and  about  possible  AYUSH  intervention. Ministry has also issued self -care guidelines on 31.03.2020 for preventive health measures and boosting immunity with spec ial reference to respiratory health.
- ( b) : Ministry  has  sent  a  D.O.  letter  dated  16.03.2020  to  Ministry  of  Health  &  Fam welfare offering for integrating and utilizing huge AYUSH infrastructure to combat wit COVID19 pandemic and also to Principals o f all Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy (ASU&H) colleges (approximately 727 colleges) on 23.03.2020 for offering their service local health authorities for utilization of the available facilities by them as per arises.

Ministry  of AYUSH  in  collaboration  with  M/o  Health  &  Family  has  organized Training of Trainers for COVID - 19 Preparedness, Response and Containment.

( c) : Guidelines for Registered Practitioners of respective system of AYUSH have bee prepared by Director Generals of Research Councils and Directors of National Institutes with their  team  of  experts  and  same  is  vetted  by  the  Interdisciplinary  AYUSH  Research Development Task Force of Ministry of AYUSH. These vetted guidelines are made availabl in public domain for t he benefit of more than 700000 registered AYUSH practitioners to help in the management of COVID 19 pandemic uniformly.

Ministry  of  AYUSH  issued  Gazette  notification  dated  21.04.2020  for  undertakin research  on  COVID - 19  through  Ayurveda,  Siddha,  Unani  an d  Homeopathy  including prophylactic measures, intervention during the quarantine, asymptomatic and symptoma cases of COVID - 19. Public Health Research, Survey, Lab Based Research etc are done to generate evidence.

( d) : Ministry of AYUSH has formed an In ter - disciplinary AYUSH R&D Task Force. The Task Force has formulated and designed clinical research protocols for add - on interventions in  COVID - 19  positive  cases  through  review  and  consultative  process  of  experts  of repute  from  different organizations across  the  country  for  studying  three  different interventions viz. Yashtimadhu, Guduchi + Pippali and a poly herbal formulati (AYUSH - 64). These studies are at various stages.