COVID-19 India: PM Establishes Task Force For Scientific Validation of AYUSH Medicines

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has established a task force for scientific validation of Ayurveda and traditional medicine formulas through research institutions like Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) that can be used to treat COVID-19 patients, Minister of State (MoS) for AYUSH, Shripad Y Naik said on Saturday.

“The Prime Minister has set up a task force for scientific validation of Ayurveda and traditional medicine formulas through research institutions like ICMR, for use in the treatment of coronavirus,” Naik told a news agency. Naik said that 2,000 proposals have been received by the ministry till now.

“We have received 2000 proposals, of which many will be sent to ICMR and other research institutes after screening them for assessing their scientific validity,” he said.

Earlier, the AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) ministry had invited inputs from AYUSH practitioners and AYUSH institution (institutions may include colleges/ universities, hospitals, research institutes, AYUSH manufacturers, AYUSH associations etc.) on therapies and procedures that could prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic using the Indian system of medicines.

In a video conference held on March 30, nearly 100 thought leaders from different disciplines of AYUSH participated, and among other things, also resolved to work for spreading awareness against such inappropriate claims.

One of the follow-up action being initiated by the Ministry of AYUSH on the PM’s call to work for scientific evidence-based solutions from the AYUSH systems is to set up an online channel on its website for receiving suggestions based on scientific explanations and proposals on therapies and procedures prepared based on standard scientific guidelines that could restrain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, or to manage the disease, the ministry said in its statement.

The Union health ministry announced on Sunday announced that there are 8,356 positive novel coronavirus cases in India and 273 deaths due to the pandemic.

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