After successfully treating dozens of Covid-19 patients using Siddha medicine, the Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday launched an exclusive centre with 224 beds that will use the traditional Tamil system of medicine to “cure” patients infected with coronavirus.
The 224-bedded facility will function from the sprawling premises of Dr. Ambedkar Government Arts and Science College in Vyasarpadi in north Chennai, one of the worst-affected areas in the city. Patients who come here will be treated only through the Siddha system of medicine and no English medicine will be administered to them.
From sattvic food to herbal bath to yoga to herbal tea to herbal food – patients will undergo a rigorous treatment protocol at this centre, which has an hospital-like administrative set-up.
Experts from the National Institute of Siddha (NIS) here have been roped in to formulate the treatment protocol which would be a mix of healthy food and physical exercise.
Officials said awareness on treatment through Siddha medicine has been created among people in Chennai and only those who opt for the Tamil system of medicine to get treated for Covid-19 will be brought to the centre.
“We have painstakingly devised the treatment protocol that will be supervised and implemented by a team of doctors. Siddha medicine is next to none, and we have got this centre ready to showcase to the world that our medicine can also be successful in Covid-19 treatment,” Tamil Official Language and Tamil Culture Minister ‘MaFoi’ K Pandiarajan, who is coordinating efforts in the Tondiarpet zone here, said.
The treatment would start at 6 am with a cup of herbal tea, followed by walking, breathing exercise and a herbal concoction before the patients’ head for a herbal breakfast. Through the day, the patients will go through several physical exercises, herbal baths and yoga, besides “tasty” lunch and dinner that will have a heavy herbal touch.
“Patients will have to do the exercises on their own, but they will be guided by Siddha doctors. The Covid care centre will have a resident medical officer like any other hospital and the treatment protocol will be monitored by a team of five senior doctors,” Pandiarajan said.
Besides doctors from NIS, renowned Siddha doctors Sivaraman and Parthiban have also been drafted to treat the Covid-19 patients. The exclusive Siddha-based Covid Care Centre was established after 30 people were successfully treated for Covid-19 using the traditional system of medicine in Chennai.
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