Post-Covid-19 care clinics yet to incorporate Ayurveda

In a post-Covid management protocol released on September 13, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had recommended immunity-boosting Ayush medicine for patients who have recovered from acute Covid illnesses.

But the post-Covid care clinics aren’t ready for this. According to them, there’s not enough scientific evidence or studies done among the recovered Covid patients to say that it (Ayush) is effective. And that the patients cannot be administered drugs from two systems of medicine simultaneously. The patients have to choose for themselves.

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More importantly, this requires a collaboration of Ayurvedic physicians and allopathy doctors at post-Covid care clinics, which is difficult at hospitals like Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD), the first hospital in the state to start treating Covid patients, which does not have Ayurvedic doctors. Also, hospitals say that a state government protocol is required to start administering herbal drugs.

The Centre, in its September 13 protocol, had recommended antipyretics Ayush Kwath and Samshamani vati (a drug used to reduce fever), antioxidants Giloy powder and Amla powder, and the immunity-boosters Chyawanprash and Ashwagandha in the post-recovery period.

Dr Harish K, Associate Dean, M S Ramaiah Hospital said, “They (Ayurveda medicine recommended by the Health ministry) are pre-Covid immunomodulants and non-specific. I don’t know how much it will help in post-Covid care. They’re general and will not help patients who come with specific problems in the eyes, heart and lungs. There are specific organs involved and we need to treat them.”

The hospital campus has the Ramaiah Indic Specialty Ayurveda Restoration Hospital. Its Director Dr G G Gangadharan told DH, “The post-Covid care clinic is being managed by the allopathy wing. If patients approach us, we will definitely treat them. Mainly, these herbal formulations are to maintain their immunity, lung function, digestion, and to act against inflammation in the body.”

RGICD also has multispecialty doctors manning the clinic. Its Director Dr C Nagaraj told DH, “We cannot start giving Ayurvedic drugs without the state government giving us the protocol.” the post-Covid care clinic at RGICD headed by pulmonologist Dr J S Akshatha said, “Drugs from two separate systems of medicine cannot be administered. Besides, our patients have lost weight, experience fatigue, have persistent cough, headache and breathlessness. We evaluate their lung function, advise physiotherapy and advise a diet. We don’t know how the Ayurvedic drugs will target all this.”