Ayurvedic practitioner in Andhra sells drug claiming it can cure COVID-19, probe ordered

Thousand of people gathered flouting the norms of COVID-19 on Friday as an individual in Andhra's Krishnapatnam village in SPS Nellore district claimed that he has medicine that can cure the virus. An investigation has been ordered on the matter and drug samples are sent for analysis. The Central Government also brought the Central Ayurvedic Research Institute to check the authenticity of the claims and conduct "very scientific and authentic exercise" on the efficiency of the medicine. 

The District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) are is also called in to examine the matter. 

In a video message sent by Nellore District Collector KVN Chakradhar Babu, he said that "as soon as we found out that an individual was distributing a herbal medicine and that COVID-19 norms are being flouted, the district administration immediately intervened and stopped the further distribution and enforced all COVID-19 protocols."

The individual identified as B Anandaiah was selling a 'herbal medicine' free of cost to the villagers. Based on the belief regarding efficiency of the medicine has been going on for a long time, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, during a high-level review of the state's COVID-19 situation, had stated that there is a need for authentic study on the matter. 

Investigation procedure

The administration has decided to send a team of Central Avian Research Institute (CARI) in Vijayawada to undertake the manufacturing process of the medicine. Principal Secretary (Health) Anil Kumar Singhal who spoke to Union Ayush Department Secretary and also the Director-General of CARI informed that the experts will conduct a study and bring appropriate results. The commissioner of Ayush informed that nearly 4000 people availed the medicine on Friday. Fortunately, till now, there have been no reports of presence of harmful ingredients present in the medicine. 

 "Yet another recipe for disaster"

P V Ramesh who is a Doctor-turned-bureaucrat (retired) and has worked as Principal Secretary (Health) and also Special Chief Secretary to Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, criticized the Krishnapatnam medicine as "yet another recipe for disaster". He also added that Government should take steps to end such superstitions. Anandaiah has been distributing the medicine since April 21. 

(Inputs from ANI)  (Image: ANI)