Health Minister Sh. Harsh Vardhan and Minister of State for AYUSH  Sh. Shripad Yesso Naik jointly launched clinical research studies on Ayurveda interventions as an add-on to standard care to COVID 19 situation and Ayush Sanjivani application today at New Delhi. AYUSH Minister was participating in the programme through Video Conferencing from Goa.

Speaking on the occasion Dr Harsh Vardhan informed that through a graded, pre-emptive, and pro-active approach, the Government of India is taking several steps for prevention, containment, and management of COVID-19. These are being regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level.

Dr Harsh Vardhan said, “India has a history of traditional medicine since long and being the pioneer in the field of Ayurveda, the Ministry of AYUSH is working to address the COVID 19 pandemic problem in the country through clinical studies (prophylactic and add-on interventions) of AYUSH systems.

The Union Health Minister said that the Ayush Sanjivani mobile app developed by Ministry of AYUSH will be useful to generate data on acceptance and usage of AYUSH advocacies and measures among the population and its impact in prevention of COVID 19.

 On this occasion Shri Shripad Naik said that the Ministry of AYUSH has taken initiatives to address the COVID 19 pandemic problem in the country through clinical studies (prophylactic and add-on interventions) of AYUSH systems and also studying the impact of AYUSH based prophylactic interventions in a high-risk population. The ministry is also studying the impact of AYUSH advocacies and AYUSH measures for the prevention of COVID 19 among the population.

Shri Naik further informed that the Ministry of AYUSH has undertaken four clinical and population-based studies to find a better solution to the problem and to assess the role of AYUSH for the prevention of the disease.

Speaking on this occasion Secretary, Ministry of  AYUSH Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha informed that the Ministry has set up an Interdisciplinary Ayush R&D Task Force with a group of experts under the chairmanship of Dr Bhushan Patvardhan, Vice Chairmen, University Grant Commission (UGC) to formulate and develop strategies for this initiative.

The Joint Secretary, AYUSH Shri P.N.Ranjit Kumar gave a presentation and explained in detail about three AYUSH based studies related to COVID-19. He also informed the gathering about the Sanjivni App and explained the benefit of Ayurveda.  While talking about the three AYUSH based studies, he gave full details about the development of the idea, crowdsourcing, making of the task force, an alliance of various institutes like SGPGI, AIIMS, ICMR, CSIR & bringing the idea to reality.