Ayush ministry launches nationwide campaign to distribute ayurvedic drugs for COVID patients in home isolation

New Delhi, May 7 (PTI) The Ayush ministry Friday said it has launched a massive nationwide campaign to distribute its proven poly herbal ayurvedic drug AYUSH 64 and Sidha medicine Kabasura Kudineer for the benefit of COVID patients in home isolation.  The efficacy of these drugs has been proved through robust multi-centre clinical trials, the ministry said in its statement.

AYUSH-64 is recommended in National Clinical Management Protocol based on ayurveda and yoga which is vetted by National Task Force on COVID Management of ICMR and Guidelines for Ayurveda Practitioners for COVID-19 patients in Home Isolation.

Kabasura Kudineer is included in Guidelines for Siddha Practitioners for COVID 19 issued by the ministry of Ayush, the statement stated.

The multi stakeholder campaign launched by Minister of Ayush Kiren Rijiju will ensure that medicines reach the needy in a transparent and efficient manner, it said.

The main collaborator in the campaign is Sewa Bharati.

A comprehensive strategy of distribution has been chalked out and the role out will unfold in a phased manner, utilising the wide network of various institutions working under the aegis of the ministry and this will be supported by the countrywide network of Sewa Bharati, the statement said.

"With the latest initiative of the Ministry to launch a nationwide campaign for distribution of AYUSH-64 and Kabasura Kudineer, India aims to strengthen its position in fight against COVID19 pandemic," it said.

Many clinical and observational studies have been undertaken to understand the role of AYUSH interventions in mitigation and management of COVID 19 whereas various studies were carried out on AYUSH-64, an Ayurvedic formulation developed by the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) and Kabasura Kudineer, a classical Siddha formulation.

The Ministry of Ayush-Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) collaboration has recently completed a multi-centre clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of AYUSH 64 in the management of mild to moderate COVID-19 patients, according to the statement.

Kabasura Kudineer was also subjected to clinical trials for studying the efficacy in COVID-19 patients by Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS) under Ministry of Ayush and is also found useful in the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 infection. PTI PLB ZMN