SRINAGAR: Fighting Covid-19 in its own way, the Directorate of Indian Systems of Medicine, J&K, distributed Immune boosting AYUSH drugs among over 4.6 lack persons, since the spread of disease in Kashmir.
Frontline workers, service providers in Red Zones, their families, contacts of COVID positive cases, Government employees, security personnel and persons with co-morbidities are among beneficiaries who were given these immune boosters.
Dr Iftikhar Hussain Gazi, Divisional Nodal Officer ISM, (AYUSH) COVID-19, Kashmir said that till date 4,68,618 persons have been provided medicines including Sharbat Unaab, Amrita Arista, Agastiya Haritki, Tab Aswagandha, Samsamani vati, AYUSH 64, Arsenic Album 30, Chawanprash, and Herbex, etc.
He said that these formulations contain a number of ingredients important among them are Guduchi, Amla, Haridra, Tulasi, Ashwagandha, Unaab, Sepistaan, Behidana and Karanjwah.
Maintaining that these drugs have scientifically proven Immuno-modulator, Anti pyretic, Antioxidant, Anti Inflammatory, Anxiolytic, Anti microbial and Adaptogenic properties and besides have no or minimum side effects.
Dr Gazi said that the process of distribution is still in vogue on daily basis with proper mechanism in place to identify the beneficiaries and deliver the AYUSH drugs and added that the process is being properly monitored by a designated team of experts in Kashmir division.
He said besides that a proposal to provide AYUSH medicines to Home Isolated cases of COVID-19 as per the guidelines of AYUSH Ministry GoI for their early recovery has also been forwarded, which is under active consideration of the administration and may be implemented soon.
Dr Gazi said that from day one, when the first case of COVID-19 was detected in Kashmir, the staff of ISM Institutions has been out working in the field alongside their allopathic counterparts as frontline warriors.
“Medical Officers, Pharmacists and other staff of ISM have been actively performing their duties in Rapid Response Teams, Contact Tracing Teams, Quarantine Centres, Sampling Teams and COVID Care Centers in all districts of Kashmir,” he said.
He said that the entire system is being closely monitored by Director ISM Dr Mohan Singh for effective implementation of all directions, distribution of medicine and other guidelines.
While as in few districts of the division, Medical Officers of the ISM were the first to be given the responsibility of Respiratory, Fever clinics in District Hospitals for screening COVID-19 patients.
Besides these, awareness campaigns are organized by the field institutions of ISM regarding preventive measures for breaking the COVID-19 chain. The department started telemedicine services and expert doctors of AYUSH were entrusted with the job of providing medical advice to the general public in the wake of the lockdown.
Dr Gazi said that though the adoption of preventive measures, early diagnosis and timely medical care is must for prevention of disease, however, enhancing an individual’s immunity can play a vital role in safeguarding against this infection and improving the prognosis of the disease.
Besides this, the general public is sensitized about COVID SOPs and in order to improve lung capacity people are informed about doing yoga and other physical exercises for a healthy life.
