(a) whether the Government is aware of the scope of using Homeopathic, Ayurvedic and Unani (AYUSH) medicines along with the Allopathic medicines as a part of preventing and dealing with the pandemic problems;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the steps taken by the Government for the qualitative production and distribution of those medicines along with widening and deepening the scope of research in these systems of medicine?
THE MINISTER OF AYUSH
(SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)
(a)and (b)Yes, Ministry of Ayush has formed an Inter-disciplinary Ayush R&D Task Force having representation from Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and AYUSH Institutions. The Interdisciplinary AYUSH Research and Development Task Force has formulated and designed clinical research protocols for prophylactic studies and add-on interventions in COVID-19 positive cases through review and consultative process of experts of high repute from different organizations across the country for studying four different interventions viz. Ashwagandha, Yashtimadhu, Guduchi + Pippali and a poly herbal formulation (AYUSH-64).
Ministry of Ayush also issued Gazette notification relating to guidelines for undertaking research on COVID-19 through Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homeopathy Systems including prophylactic measures, intervention during the quarantine, asymptomatic and symptomatic cases of COVID-19, Public Health Research, Survey, Lab Based Research etc. to generate evidence.
Ministry of Ayush has also launched interdisciplinary studies involving Ayush interventions for COVID-19 based on recommendations of Task force. Under various research organizations and National Institutes under Ministry of Ayush, 140 research studies in the country are being conducted on Ayush interventions.
Ministry of Ayush has also released Home care guidelines for children and Advisory for Ayush Practitioners about prophylactic care in Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The self-care guidelines issued by the Ministry have been duly vetted by eminent Ayurveda experts. Government of India has also released “National Clinical Management Protocol based on Ayurveda and Yoga for management of COVID-19” prepared by National Task force.
Guidelines for Registered Practitioners of respective system of AYUSH have been prepared by the Central Research Councils and National Institutes with their team of experts and same is vetted by the Interdisciplinary Ayush Research and Development Task Force of Ministry of Ayush. These guidelines are available in public domain for the benefit of registered Ayush practitioners including Homoeopathy to help in the management of COVID 19 pandemic uniformly.
Ayush Sanjivani mobile app has also been developed by Ministry of Ayush and has documented the impact assessment of effectiveness, acceptance and usage of Ayush advisories & measures in the prevention of COVID-19 through Mobile app base population study in around 1.35 crores respondents and analysis of 7.24 lakh public data revealed that 85.1% of the respondents reported use of Ayush measures for prevention of COVID-19, among which 89.8% respondents agreed to have benefitted from the practice of Ayush advisory.
(c) In the wake of COVID-19 outbreak the Ministry of Ayush has issued direction to All State Government/UT’s to give permission for issue of license to the ASU drug manufactures to manufacture and sold in Generic name as ‘Ayush Kwath’ or ‘Ayush Kudineer’ or ‘Ayush Joshanda’. The license be given in accordance with the provisions of Drugs and Cosmetics Rules 1945.
The medicines which emerged out to be useful and mentioned in the National Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Ayush, are being manufactured by most of the Ayurvedic drugs manufacturers.
During the second wave of this pandemic, the scientists of reputed research institutions of the country have found that AYUSH 64, a poly herbal formulation developed by the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Ministry of Ayush is useful in the treatment of asymptomatic, mild and moderate COVID-19 infection as an adjunct to standard care. In order to provide maximum benefit of Ayush systems of medicine, a Nation-wide campaign for distribution of AYUSH-64 and Kabasura Kudineer through 87 clinical units of Research Councils and National Institute under Ministry of Ayush across the country. States/ UTs licensing authorities / Drug Controllers were informed to allow the licensed manufactures for AYUSH-64 under their jurisdiction to include new indication of AYUSH-64 for repurposing as an intervention for the management of asymptomatic, mild to moderate COVID-19 in addition to existing indication (s). Further, States/ UTs Licensing Authorities have been requested to expedite the process of the licensing/ approval of application for the manufacturing of AYUSH-64. CCRAS has transferred AYUSH-64 manufacturing technology through National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) to 40 manufacturing units for manufacturing of AYUSH-64.
In the wake of COVID -19/Omicron surge and considering the importance of role of Ayush in boosting the immunity and its usefulness in the management of mild to moderate symptoms of Covid patients, the Ministry is promoting the use of Ayuraksha Kit, Bal Raksha Kit and Ayur care Kit for the health promotion of the masses. In this regard all the State licensing authorities were informed that requirement of separate Licence for making kits with the specified components of Ayuraksha Kit, Bal Raksha Kit and Ayur care Kit for the manufacturers having valid license of the individual component of the kit is not required.
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